Towers of Terror the 69th Hunger Games
by Vlad9
Summary: We all know about the 74th and 75th Hunger Games; now you may add the 69th Games to that list!
1. Prelude

**Prelude**

"You didn't actually believe that Panem, a corrupt, oppressed country under totalitarian rule, would allow for the fair and random selection of their tributes?"

"No, of course not."

I look on at my new colleague. Three weeks ago I had thought I'd blown my chances at this new position. That was until Edon Maen had personally recommended me to President Snow himself. I'd jumped at the opportunity to take my place in the Capitol's upper circle of influence. As the CEO of the only major infrastructure company in the Capitol I most certainly deserve to be here. But this is my first meeting, and I am slightly nervous as I sit in the foyer with Edon waiting to enter the boardroom.

I have known Edon since high school. He sits opposite me now, as cynical as ever. He is a petite man in his early 40s with neatly cut short brown hair and a cream suit that I swear he lives in. It's not his personal appearance however that invites him to such prestigious meetings. Edon is the Head of Finances for Panem. This means that his company regulates interest rates by the printing of lawful money. He chooses who gets first use of newly printed money in that; if you're friends with Don and you need some money he will print it for you. Needless to say his influence on Panem is bested only by President Snow himself.

The foyer begins to fill up. I see Godrich Hardich the Supreme Court judge and barely recognise Bobrit Figune. The Capitol's Head of Fashion looks like some kind of multicoloured parrot today sporting a pink Mohawk, orange velvet cloak and dark sunglasses. A group of five suited figures walk past headed by the Capitol's religious leader Dud Hogue, media tycoon Gun Walker and Head of Defence Gert Purnim. At the back of the group I see him for the first time. This year's Head Gamemaker the highly acclaimed Jeft Finwip. Jeft is a popular and powerful figure in his own right. His work in History and Archaeology is famous in the Capitol, and has led to the wide spread adoption of ancient recreational activities and games. However, beyond the superficial, Jeft specialises in revealing the technological secrets left behind by ancient civilisations. Such research has proven critical in the war against the terror.

Suddenly the babble of noise around me subsides. The man himself is here. We file in behind President Snow and each take a seat in the massive boardroom. The President stands from his seat at the end of the table and addresses the group.

"Greetings all. As you are well aware we meet here today to discuss the upcoming extravaganza that is the Sixty-ninth Hunger Games!"

There is a round of applause. I clap my hands with everybody else. What is not to love about inter-District gladiatorial conflict? The Games are such a spectacular event that bring the country together every year. Most of all I love the drama, betting and sponsorship system that surrounds the games. As I have found, if you have enough money the Games can truly be an interactive experience.

"I will now pass you over to this year's Head Gamemaker, Jeft Finwip."

There is another round of applause as the tall historian stands up from his seat at the centre of the table.

"Greetings everyone," he booms in a confident voice. "I would like to announce that thanks to the brilliant work of our newest member, Gilt Finning Head of Infrastructure, construction of the arena for the Sixty-ninth Hunger Games is all but completed. All that we are waiting for now are the muttations. Can the Head of Science give us a time frame by which they will be ready?"

"Yes, we have fifty mutated boars ready to go. We are just training behavioural characteristics into them. Got to be aggressive after all. Those dragons you were after will be more difficult as we have yet to find a base creature from which to modify. I can't promise that they will be ready in time."

"OK, we'll play it by ear. I'm sure one of us will be able to think up some exciting alternatives. How are the costumes coming along, Bobrit?"

"I just need some more time to finish off several of Caesar's outfits. We have appointed the stylists for each tribute but we need to see the tributes before we can make the outfits for them."

"Right, yes of course," Jeft continues. "Which brings us to the reason we are here tonight, which is to pick which names will be 'randomly' selected on reaping day. I've recently visited the Tribute Academies in Districts 1, 2 and 4 and I liked what I saw. Lots of potential for storylines. I think we'll wait for the Academies to release their final grades before we select which tributes we want in the games. However there is a boy from District 2 who could really add a touch of nostalgia to any potential storyline. His name is Fin Lay, and he is the 18 year old son of Dund and Ficus Lay. Dund won the Fifty-first Games and Ficus the Forty-ninth. I've spoken to Fin's Commander, apparently he is a smart student, top of the class, who would bring a ruthless attitude to the Games."

"Make sure he is in the Games," President Snow commands, in a voice leaving no doubt that it will happen.

"OK, we will make sure of it. There is also a giant of a boy whom we have been keeping our eye on over the past year. His father is a giant of a man and a District 5 patriot. His son is now eighteen and has grown to be as big as his father. He has been trained to be a Career tribute from the age of three, and would act as a true threat to the tributes from one, two and four."

"Brilliant, make sure he is in the Games."

"OK, yes of course. He could become a real icon of the Sixty-ninth Hunger Games. Right so those two are settled. Also we need to make sure we have a few younger tributes for the bloodbath and some good looking tributes. The way the arena has been constructed we will have to pick out some good climbers if we are to prolong the Games for at least a week. The weapons available are not very deadly so innovation and brute force will be crucial. We will select individual tributes from each District depending on how well they fit in to our storyline. I know you are all busy people, but it would be brilliant if you could submit details about interesting tributes that could supplement our storyline."

"Sponsors?"

"Well as usual we are going to have an internal sponsorship system amongst ourselves. The cost of sponsorship items will increase by one point for each day that passes. I'm so excited, this is going to the best Games ever!"

"It better be!" President Snow states with authority. "We have the beginnings of a rebellion in District eight. It is imperative that we give the Districts a taste of the pain they would feel if there were another rebellion."

President Snow gets to his feet.

"This meeting is now closed," he states. "Now go find us some interesting tributes!"


	2. List of Tributes

**List of Tributes**

Where have they got to? The day of the Reapings is less than a week away and I still don't know who's going to be picked. This is unprecedented. Do they want a Hunger Games or not?

There is a soft tap on the door.

"Enter!"

It's my personal assistant. He's carrying a wafer thin screen which he hands to me.

"The first members are starting to send in their tributes for the Games. When they do so it will automatically update on this screen."

I scan the list of tributes. There are only four so far and half of them are ones I selected! I prop the screen up on my desk by leaning it against a photo of my favourite muttation.

"I'll be watching this list and if it doesn't fill by the day of the Reapings there will be trouble. We might even have to select the tributes randomly, and you know how much I would hate that!

My personal assistant nods and dismisses himself leaving me staring at the list; willing for it to populate.

It doesn't take long! After merely a day, seventeen of the twenty four slots are filled. That in itself is amazing but that's not all. Now I've found that if I touch a button on the screen labelled 'Next' I can see the internal sponsorship system is up and running!

There are now twenty four names staring up at me from the screen.

* * *

**District 1** (Luxury items)  
Male tribute: **Flash Aurum**  
Female tribute: **Diamond Louis**

**District 2** (Masonary and Peacekeepers)  
Male tribute: **Fin Lay**  
Female tribute:**Coral Turner**

**District 3** (Electronics)  
Male tribute: **Nero Caligula**  
Female tribute: **Persephone (Pixie) Bradley**

**District 4** (Fishing)  
Male tribute:**Thunnus Seidon**  
Female tribute: **Celeste Hale**

**District 5** (Power generation)  
Male tribute: **Chesta Edwoods**  
Female tribute: **Skylar (Sky) Clouds**

**District 6** (Transportation)  
Male tribute: **Foy Antrie**  
Female tribute: **Victoria Mernet**

**District 7** (Lumber and paper)  
Male tribute: **Tasi Merkava**  
Female tribute: **Jacquelin (Jack) Aspen**

**District 8** (Textiles)  
Male tribute: **Linden Garder**  
Female tribute: **Sakura Velve**t

**District 9** (Grain)  
Male tribute:** Barda Moss**  
Female tribute: **Sora Painton**

**District 10** (Livestock)  
Male tribute: **Flint Woods**  
Female tribute:** Brooklyn Virgona**

**District 11** (Agriculture)  
Male tribute: **Jett Wayland**  
Female tribute: **Kestrel Snarky **

**District 12** (Coal mining)  
Male tribute:** Julian Storm**  
Female tribute:** Thistle Kellik**


	3. Reaping day 8am in District 2

**The Point of View of Fin Lay**

This is the moment. Our class is together in a line at the front of the Reaping day crowd. A camera pans across our twelve faces as we sit impatiently in our immaculate District 2 Academy tracksuits. There is going to be a fight. We all know that. For ten of us the majority of our lives will soon turn out to have been an utter waste. All that training and studying for nothing. Who have the Capitol chosen for the Games? They must have chosen me! Who else has two victors for parents? Nobody else does. Nobody else has the muscles I have, or the mesomorphic body structure and handsome good looks. Plus, I have the best grades in the Academy. They must pick me, surely! But what if they don't? Such a situation is unbearable to think about. I would volunteer of course, along with every other eighteen year old in the Academy but then it gets complicated. I clench my fist into a tight ball and massage my bulging bicep.

A cute young lady from the Capitol is here to pull out the names. She is wearing a short pink dress and high heels. I can't let this blonde distract me today of all days. Frankly I couldn't care less whom it is pulling the piece of paper out, as long as it has my name on it. I sense a camera aimed in my direction zooming in on my face. I switch on my most practiced handsome smile. Born for cameras I am and everybody knows it. With my looks and logic I could sell a megaphone to an Avox.

The camera has now begun to focus on the blond lady from the Capitol. It is time. I clench my fists again as she pulls out a piece of paper and reads the name printed on it aloud for all to hear.

"The male tribute from District 2 is… Fin Lay!"

I jump up and punch the air. Everyone is clapping. Some of the class are trying to volunteer for me but they know the rules. I bound up the stairs onto the stage and kiss the blond lady on the cheek. I am so happy! In a month or so there will be three victors in the family! The cameras are just soaking up the drama and I play to them like a star.

"So we take it that you decline these offers to volunteer tribute?" the Capitol lady asks.

"Of course!" I say aware that my voice is going out to the whole country. "I wouldn't miss these Hunger Games for the world!"

I can see my male class mates scowling at me. As if I care. They all know I'm better than them in every way. Plus the rules are pretty clear about this. If the reaped tribute wants to go, there is nothing volunteers can do to stop them.

The crowd goes quiet again as the lady stretches her delicately manicured fingers out for a second piece of paper. I catch several girls staring at me. Which one will have the good fortune of joining me?

"And for the girls, the tribute from District 2 is… Albina Vera!"

Who's that? There is a shriek from within the crowd as a small girl is dragged towards the stage by a gang of Peacekeepers. They need not bother. At least ten girls have already rushed up onto the stage to vie to be the volunteer. It's nice to know that so many girls are desperate to be with me. Even when they know that eventually I will have to kill them.

**The Point of View of Coral Turner**

I rush forwards as if my life depends on it, squeezing my way between the other girls to get up on to the stage. This is where my petite, sixteen year old gymnast's body really pays dividends. This is my chance and no one will be having it.

"I volunteer as tribute," I scream, fully aware of the dozen or so other girls doing exactly the same.

"Silence," orders the Capitol lady.

This sort of thing happens almost every year. There is massive competition amongst the students from the Academy. The Capitol knows this and thus out comes a piece of paper from the Capitol. The blond heavily made up lady from the Capitol reads it aloud for the crowd to hear.

"In the circumstance of multiple volunteers, all candidates will be put onto a raised platform of five meter diameter. Upon my order competition will begin. A candidate is eliminated if any part of their body touches the ground. There are no other rules. The female tribute from District 2 will be the last surviving girl on the platform!"

A team of Peacekeepers have already begun to assemble the raised circular arena. They work in pairs sliding the white interlocking blocks together like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Surely they must have practiced this numerous times to get such efficiency of movement. Within a minute there is a large circular platform raised one meter off the ground.

"Up you get girls."

Despite being only 148 centimetres in height, getting up onto the platform is no problem for me. I place my hands over the edge and gracefully pull myself up, using a move my gymnastics coach likes to call a 'squat through to rear support.' I would have loved to have done something more difficult like a 'press to handstand' however I thought better of it. Granted performing such a movement whilst wearing this knee length green dress would have turned heads; however that is certainly not the image that I am trying to portray today.

There about ten girls on the platform. One girl is struggling to even pull herself up. No one is helping her though. I eye up my competition staring them down. All of the eighteen year olds are wearing their District 2 Academy tracksuits. The Commander must have instructed them to. There are a few girls dressed up though. I notice Gossamer and Symphony my friends from the Academy.

"On my call," instructs the lady from the Capitol. "Three, Two, One, go."

Immediately I rush forwards to the middle of the circle along with all the other girls. I crouch down reducing my already low centre of mass. As I see it, the best strategy is for me is to keep low and try to maximise my traction with the smooth white platform floor. Luckily this morning I had decided to discard my heels in favour of running shoes. Nevertheless, if one of the bigger girls manages to lift my 45 kilogram body off the ground that will be the end of my dream from another year.

I grab on to someone's legs and pull them to the ground. There is a lot of movement around me. Someone accidentally knees me in the temple but I brush it off focussing on staying in the ring. I can't really tell what is going on around me as all I see are body parts flying everywhere and all I can hear are girl's screams of pain and the crowd cheering. I can imagine that ten girls desperately fighting each other must look fairly comical. Someone wearing the Academy tracksuit has grabbed both of my legs and is pulling me away from the centre. I try to oppose their force but they are too big. Don't get me wrong, I am a strong well trained gymnast, but strength doesn't help here when your opponent is probably twice your weight. Both static and dynamic frictions are directly proportional to weight after all. Instead of resisting I allow her to pull me away from the centre of the ring. Suddenly, when she isn't expecting it I twist my legs out of her grasp and bash her with my silver bracelets. She cries out in pain as I sprint off across the circle using my momentum to push another two girls off the platform. There are only three of us left now: Gossamer, the eighteen year old, and I. We all back away spacing ourselves around the edge of the circle whilst trying to keep an eye on both opponents at once. There is relative calm for about ten seconds until suddenly the large girl wearing the Academy tracksuit charges at me. She is still angry. I wait until she is almost on me before ducking down and to the left. She reaches down to grab me but I shrug out of her grasp and her momentum takes her over the edge of the platform. Now it is just Gossamer and I. This could be interesting. What do we do now? Gossamer has been my friend for countless years. I keep my eyes on her and walk forwards. What is she going to do?

"Let's not fight Coral," Gossamer says.

She is right of course. Fighting like adversaries on television would probably ruin our friendship. I am still desperate to go to the Games though.

"How are we going to settle this then?" I say. "We both want to be the tribute."

"'Paper, scissors, rock?'"

"OK," I laugh, "on the count of three."

"One, two, three!"

I throw out my fist and Gossamer picks scissors. I win!

"Ah well good luck," Gossamer says. "I'll keep an eye on Silver while you are away."

I can tell she is bitterly disappointed, but we are both only sixteen years old.

"I'll let you go to next year's Games," I say as she turns and steps from the platform.

"And there you have it," booms the Capitol lady, as Fin jumps up on stage to shake my hand. "Fin Lay and Coral Turner are your tributes from District 2."


	4. Reaping day 11am in District 9

**The Point of View of Barda Moss**

Mum and dad have to work even on Reaping day, so once again I find myself at home watching television. It's not too bad though because they are showing reruns of the morning Reapings from the Career Districts. The Reapings so far have been really entertaining but I can tell they'll soon start to get repetitive. I usually just flick through them, watching the interesting ones. It makes no difference in the end, because by the time all the pre-Games hype is finished everyone knows everything about every tribute anyway. By then I just want the Games to hurry up and start.

The two tributes from District 2 are on screen now. The boy is a muscle-man with short black hair cut in a military style. I'm betting he will at least make the top four. The girl is much shorter but still exudes the confidence of a Career. She is pretty cute with her cat-like green eyes and brown braided hair which she circles around her head.

The broadcasters now switch briefly to highlights from the District 4 Reapings. The competition for places here had been so brutal that there had even been a fatality. Blood and gore before the Games have even begun. The scene changes and there she is again, the female tribute from District 1. She is so beautiful with her smooth brushed blond hair and fringe pinned back from her face by means of a diamond hair clip. For the third time this morning I am fixated by her large ice blue eyes, simple smile and the way she flutters her eyelashes for the camera. What would I have to do to meet her? No offence intended, but the girls in District 9 are just not in the same class.

Bang, bang, BANG! I am rudely awakened from my daydream by the sound of someone trying to break my front door. It can't be my parents as they have their own keys, which means I am in extreme trouble. I sprint towards the back door, but double back immediately when I see the Peacekeepers. They've seen me also. Thirty seconds later all the exterior doors in my house are completely demolished and we are well into a game of 'hide and go seek tiggy'. Apparently however, some of the Peacemakers were taught different rules to those I learned in primary school. I can tell by the way they are discharging automatic weapons in all directions throughout the house. Mum is going to be livid when she sees the kitchen. Luckily it is an unarmed Peacekeeper who finally finds me hiding in an upstairs wardrobe. He drags me by my arms down the stairs and dumps me on the living room floor. The one who must be the lead Peacekeepers is now reading me some Capitol rubbish about the law.

"You are under arrest. Under new laws the President may give law enforcement officers the right to search any homes in the Districts that they suspect are harbouring criminals. In doing so, we the Peacekeepers, have obtained evidence that you have failed to attend an event classified as compulsory by Panem law. Therefore you may be detained indefinitely without trial and be punished in any way that we see fit."

That doesn't sound very fair.

"Why did you fail to attend the DNA testing procedure at 11am this morning?" another Peacemaker demands.

"Erm, I was scared that I would get Reaped," I lie.

In reality I had just been distracted by what was on television and had forgotten completely about going to the Reapings. Some of the Peacekeepers have a quick whispered discussion that I don't bother trying to overhear. Finally the leader speaks to me.

"You will be glad to hear that we have decided against having you converted into an Avox. We have instead a more fitting punishment for you."

**The Point of View of Sora Painton**

There is never truly a Hunger Games victor, only losers. The Capitol might parade around a victor to give hope to the masses, but in reality it is all a show and when the curtain closes the victor is left scarred for life. There is no chance to restore innocence or to continue living your life. Winning the Games instead amounts to merely a prolonged, painful death. Sadly even at the age of fifteen I know this all too well. The District had been so happy when my mother had returned as victor from the fifty-sixth Hunger Games. It bode well for a 'happy ever after' type scenario. But just thirteen years later I am in the wheat fields scavenging handfuls of stolen grain to take home to Miri my grandmother.

The nightmares had become too much for my mother. It had become impossible for her to sleep and I don't blame her for what she did. Better to end it quickly than suffer in pain forever. But dropped pebbles cause ripples and I now live in poverty with my grandmother. I see my father from time to time but he is a drugged-up mess, still reliant on morphling after all these years, to numb the heartbreak of losing his wife. My train of thought is broken by a movement behind me.

"Hey Sora!"

I squint through the forest of wheat for my caller. I recognise the voices that represent my salvation in this world. My friends only get to talk with me out in the fields but Kris and Hunter are like the brothers I never had.

"We've got to go to Reapings now remember!"

Oh course I remember. As hard as I try to distract my attention from the annual day of injustice it is always there. Despite never taking tessera, (I would rather starve to death), there is always that slight chance that I could be drawn into the Capitol's yearly death circus.

"Come on it starts in five minutes!" Kris says taking one of my hands as Hunter grabs the other.

"What if I just hide in the wheat until the Reapings are over? If they call my name I'll have time to eat some poison berries before they can find me."

"No use. They would punish the whole District. I know you don't want that. Anyway, they will find that you're missing after the DNA tests."

Hunter is always right. There is no way of avoiding this injustice. Why can't we just live in a fair society in which everyone is given an equal chance at life?

In no time I am being subjected against my permission to the before mentioned DNA test. We all stand in a line like livestock as they screen the video about why we have the Games. Surely there would be no need for a rebellion is everyone was treated fairly in the first place. Afterwards there is an uncharacteristic ten minute delay. Usually Capitol employees are very strict on timing but not today for some reason.

Finally a boy in my year at school, Barda Moss, is picked out as the male tribute. He appears calm and emotionless. For some reason two Peacekeepers stay on either side of him even once he has made it onto the stage. I feel empathy at his predicament and helpless as there is nothing I can do. The escort from the Capitol now reaches for a second piece of paper. I dig my fingernails into my forearm and squeeze hard. I feel faint and need some feeling on which to concentration so as to stop myself from blacking out.

"Maise Bluey!"

There is an eruption of anger from the crowd and I know exactly why. Not only is Maise only twelve but she is severely disabled both physically and mentally. How could her name have even been in there? That's not fair! She can't even walk or talk, let alone understand why a team of Peacekeepers is now dragging her body up on stage. Why is nobody standing up for her? She doesn't stand a chance in the arena!

"I volunteer!" I yell out of impulse.

Immediately the cameras train themselves onto me. I am no warrior; just a slight dark skinned fifteen year old girl with grey eyes and short black wavy hair. I wear hand-me-downs: an oversized denim shirt and a pair of black trousers that are too small for me. What chance do I have? Suddenly realisation hits me; I have the same chance as Maise would have had. In other words I have no chance. After all, there is never truly a Hunger Games victor, only losers. What have I done! I pass out.


	5. Reaping day 10am in District 1

**The Point of View of Diamond Louis**

Naked and alone I stand in front of a large, full length mirror observing myself. The eighteen year old woman I see observing me closely must surely be the most exquisitely beautiful in the District. She has blond hair that is straight and long with a sassy side fringe. Her eyes are ice blue and framed with well maintained thick, dark lashes. The only blemish is a small battle scar on her right cheekbone. This she is proud of. It is a battle scar. A badge of honour won during one of the many thousand training sessions. She is of course not just a pretty face after all, but a highly trained Career tribute who has finally reached her prime. This much becomes obvious once I pass my eyes over her flawless, lightly tanned skin which stretches tightly over a thin but vigorously toned hourglass body. Such a physique cannot be bought but is instead the product of genetic fortune in combination with years of discipline directed towards a single goal; to win the Hunger Games.

After several minutes of applying makeup to enhance my facial features the woman in the mirror is finally satisfied and allows me to put on some clothes. What colour underwear should I wear on this important day? It probably won't make any difference unless the male tribute is good looking. In the end I settle for a blue that matches both my eyes and the light blue dress that extends to the middle of my thigh. The dress has a white sash around the waist that sparkles with rhinestones and beads, and is tied in a bow at the back. As a general rule I never leave the house unless I look perfect.

Half an hour later I am sitting with a group of my friends from the Academy. We laugh and joke around until the man from the Capitol starts getting serious. There's an unwritten rule in District 1 that unless exceptional circumstances exist we only send eighteen year old tributes to the Games. Why would we want to send kids to do an adult's job? However the Capitol continues to persist with their random paper picking procedure. Luckily none of the youngsters picked today are keen to go so it comes down to volunteers. I coolly manoeuvre myself up on stage with all the other eighteen year old candidates from the Academy. There are twenty of us in total, ten men and ten women. For once in my life I decide to be quiet so I can hear the guy from the Capitol read out the rules.

"This year's tributes from District 1 will be chosen by the people of the District! More specifically each of the children here who were eligible to be Reaped will form a line starting at the front of the stage. One at a time they will be given a green stone which they are to drop into the bucket of the candidate that they feel will have the best chance of winning the Games. There are no other rules. Your male and female tributes from District 1 will be those candidates who, once all the votes have been cast, have the heaviest buckets."

**The Point of View of Flash Aurum**

During the speech a gang of Peacemakers have laid out a bucket in front of each of us.

Great a popularity contest, I've got a good chance now. After watching the District 2 Reapings I was expecting some kind of fight, but now District 1's tributes are sure to be Flash and Diamond. Who else has the money and social status that we do. Even now after only four children have voted, Diamond and I have two rocks each. I bet those kids didn't even know any of the other candidates. They were probably just trying to please our families in the hope that one day the favour would be repaid. Nevertheless the tributes are trying all sorts of strategies to get votes. Diamond is fluttering her eyelashes at all of the boys. She is such a flirt. I just stand still looking staunch whilst trying to make eye contact with each of the voters. Some girls are pleading with the children, and some of the boys are trying to frighten them into giving up their vote. I notice one boy has a really big rock so I pull out my wallet and offer him money. He accepts immediately along with the next kid and the next one. After a while it starts to get fairly farcical as other would be tributes start to catch on to what I am doing. Soon it has become a frenzy of bribery, and to think that some ancient countries actual used to let their citizens vote for the next President. Surely that would have been chaos.

They don't even bother weighing the buckets as it is obvious who the winners are. Diamond and I are together once again, happy and laughing. It's such a relief to finally be guaranteed a place in the Games and to be going there with Diamond is a dream come true.

I watch as Diamond flutters her eyelashes for the cameras and they love it like everyone else who has met her. She truly is a special person.


	6. Reaping day 9am in District 4

**The Point of View of Celeste Hale:**

I'm up on stage with about thirty other girls and boys. Almost all of the fellow candidates are people with whom I have trained at the Academy. We have all trained for years to be District 4's tributes for this year's Hunger Games, and are desperate go. However, unfortunately only two of us can go, and it looks like we are just about to find out exactly who.

"The tributes from District 4 will be selected from the results of a competition between all of the willing volunteers on stage right now," announces the woman who is here from the Capitol. "The most eligible candidate will have no reluctance to kill and no fear of being killed. Therefore to select this year's tributes each volunteer will be given a baseball bat, to use as a weapon. The last surviving female and male candidates will be your tributes from District 4. If a volunteer leaves the stage at any point, this gesture will be interpreted as a withdrawal of your interest in being a Hunger Games tribute. There are no other rules."

There is a massive uproar from the crowd. Most of the people here would be honoured to see their friend or family member representing District 4 in the Hunger Games, but they don't want to see the children of District 4 bludgeoning each other with baseball bats. If it were the killings of unknown people from foreign Districts it would be an entirely different issue. Already half a dozen Peacekeepers are handing out blue wooden baseball bats to the boys and pink versions to all the girls on stage. Obviously I'm handed a pink one which is a shame because it conflicts with my yellow dress. The ferocity with which I can hit people with this bat is going to surprise the people who see me as a thin, fashion conscious, blond girl. I am not going to back down.

Already many of the volunteers have left the stage. This competition must just be too immoral for them. Immorality is a difficult skill to teach, and evidently the Academy has failed these students on this count. Some parents are calling out to their children telling them to walk off the stage. My parents would never do that. They let me make my own life decisions and they know how much going to the Games would mean to me. By the time the competition is ready to start there are only five girls and four boys left on the stage. The rest of the candidates were just pretenders. Of the girls I recognise Diem, Taylor and a red-head called Corvina from my year in the Academy. The other girl looks older than us and must be eighteen.

"Competition will start on the count of three," announces the woman from the Capitol. "One, two, three!"

**The Point of View of Thunnus Seidon:**

It's started. I rush forwards to their group of three. It looks like they plan on ganging up on me. Well I'm not going to let them. They each have their bats held up high as if about to receive a pitch. I step forward and hit one of them before quickly darting backwards. They all take a swing at where my head had been and hit each other. I dart around backwards and forwards and from side to side and they try to follow me but they aren't as quick on their feet as I am. One of them seems to be limping from my first attack so I target him by drawing in his friends and then running circles around them. I hit him again in the torso. He's winded and drops to the ground. I take pity on the poor boy by allowing him to roll over the side of the stage. Now it's fair, only two against one.

I keep one eye on each of my opponents. They have decided to split up and come at me from both sides. Suddenly someone hits me in the back. I turn around to see Celeste running off. What is she playing at? Maybe she has just always wanted the opportunity to hit me with a baseball bat? I don't let myself get distracted. Instead I run around behind one of the boys and take a swing at him. He blocks most of the impact with his bat but the ensuing vibration dislodges it from his hands. Quickly I grab it and threaten to hit him again. He gets the message and takes a running leap off the stage. Now I have this wrapped up. I have two bats and he only has one. He lashes out at me desperately but I block his attack. After only one swing I have him begging me to let him live. And just like that I booked my ticket to the Games! It's all just too easy.

Now all there is to do is to watch these girls go at each other with baseball bats. There are only three girls left. Well actually maybe there are only two considering how much blood is pouring from Taylor's head. She is lying motionless on the ground. Why isn't anyone trying to save her? I look around and see that the Peacekeepers are standing around the stage preventing the angry crowd from advancing. This competition has to be finished immediately otherwise Taylor is sure to die!

**The Point of View of Corvina Carde:**

Celeste is so angry. I can see the ferocity and desperation in her eyes as she swings at me wildly with her pink bat. All I can do is run away from her right now. She doesn't want to just kill me; she wants to torture me first.

It looks like Thunnus is the male tribute. For some reason he is carefully lifting Taylor's body down the stage stairs. I have a change of plan. There is no way I can avoid Celeste's blows forever, so I decide to counter attack, swinging at her. Offence is the best form of defence after all. She screams out in pain and anger but still persists in running at me with impunity. If she hits me again, I'm going to quit. My life is worth more than this. I raise my bat over my head in a desperate defence, but the blow does not come. Instead I am pushed from behind and tumble over the edge of the stage. I get up and spin around to find that my attacker is Thunnus Seidon.

"But I didn't quit!" I exclaim to the Peacekeepers. "I was pushed by a boy!"

The Peacekeepers push me back from the stage muttering that rules are rules. I am now the one that is livid. In the background medical staff have already rushed over to repair the head wound that I inflicted on Taylor.

I watch as Celeste rushes over to her sandy blonde haired hero and hugs him; entangling herself in his sea-blue suit. After all those years of camping in bushes all those endurance training sessions I am not going to the Games!

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you your District 4 tributes for the Sixty-ninth Hunger Games, Thunnus Seidon and Celeste Hale!"


	7. Reaping day Noon in District 5

**The Point of View of Chesta Edwoods**

The coal fired power station is running at half capacity today. It is the first day my dad has had off in the five years since his wife died in a grinding mill accident. The Peacekeepers didn't give a reason for his reprieve from shovelling coal, but we both know it. Today is Reaping day and District 5 is looking forward to the best chance they have in years. I can really feel the pressure on my giant shoulders as I walk with Ghom down the hill to the Reaping square.

"Why didn't you put some better clothes on?" Ghom asks, looking at my tattered workshop apparel. "You're going to be on live TV for sure."

"Dad says it's better if I act myself, give a hard impression and all that," I reply.

"You always do what your dad says. You're almost as big as him now; you should stand up for yourself."

Dad's a giant of a man and a real District 5 patriot. He loves the combative nature of the Hunger Games and therefore from a young age I have been brought up watching reruns of each year. My dad takes the Games seriously to the point that he screams at the TV whenever one of his favourite tributes makes a strategic error. From a young age he has had great expectations for his son. At the age of five I started a diet consisting mostly of protein. By ten I was lifting weights and developing the skills required in the Games. When I was young it was all fun and games but now that I am 18 years old I realise that it is more than that. If I am to win I will have to kill people. That's not the sort of thing I am in to. It's just not me. I prefer to quietly do school work with my best friend Ghom and greatly prefer learning the technical details of power generation to abject violence.

As we get closer to the square I begin to notice Peacekeepers and camera crews following us. We must look odd walking together. Ghom stands at a height of 160 cm where as I am 200 cm and 125 kg. As we enter the square the Peacekeepers split us up and one of them drags me past the DNA check in. They know exactly who I am, and it looks like they have plans for me. Indeed they have allocated me a seat at the bottom of the stairs up to the stage. There is the usual procession of videos and speeches. All the while I am painfully aware of the cameras focusing on me. I try to maintain a formidable expression, knowing that no matter whose name gets picked out society wants me to be the tribute.

"Cedrid Diffinty," is the name called out by the Capitol women.

The Peacekeepers don't even bother going to find the unfortunate kid. Instead the attention of the whole nation is drawn to me. I know exactly what they expect me to do, the Head Gamemaker himself had told me last night. But in my heart of hearts, do I really want to volunteer? What would they do if I didn't? Most likely make me into an Avox. I decide to bite the bullet and play along with what the public expect of me. What choice do I have?

"I volunteer as tribute." I state.

**The point of view of Skylar (Sky) Clouds**

"And your female tribute is Skylar Clouds!"

I am frozen to the spot unable to move. Warm tears stream from my eyes and stroll down my cheeks and soon I can taste salt. My life has suddenly just been turned upside down. After all, for a quiet, slim, softly spoken girl from District 5, being Reaped for the Games is the equivalent of receiving a death sentence.

Two Peacekeepers grab a hold of each of my arms and drag my limp body up on stage. There are massive broadcasting cameras aimed at me from all directions, sending video live to the entire nation. My body remains flaccid, and my head flops down in front of me. The Peacekeepers have to hold me up while I am on stage as I am completely despondent.

When it comes time to shake hands with Chesta I am able to regain enough strength from him to extend my arm. He is the only one here who feels what I feel right now. The gentle giant's powerful hands give me the strength to lift my head up and look him in the eye. From close up I can tell he is sad too.

Twenty minutes later I find myself locked up in the Justice building. Apparently I'm allowed some two minute interviews. As expected the first people to see me are my family. My parents, Blanc and Trent Clouds, have been called in from their work at the wind farm, and Trent my brother has just been at the geothermal power plant. They hug me and try to convince me that everything will be alright, but we all know that is false hope. In no time at all the Peacekeepers are dragging my family from me for the last time, and that is it. Fifteen years of love, affection and devotion to each other is ended just like that. I sulk in the corner distraught.

A minute later I am distracted from my self pity by another visitor. It's my closest friend Estella Rills.

"Hey Sky, they're only giving me two minutes, just wanted to wish you luck in the Games."

"Thanks, but you know I have no chance." I say. "All the other tributes are much bigger, stronger and older than me. What could I do to Chesta for example? He's almost three times my weight."

"Yeah but you have other skills Sky. You are good at first aid and identifying edible plants, plus you are logical, fast and agile, these attributes are all important in the Games," Estella says as I shake my head. "Anyway, before the Peacekeepers come back take this. It's a symbol to remind you of your friends and family back home in District 5."

Estella places a small metal badge in my hand. It is a stylised lightening bolt which is the official logo used by my parent's wind farm company. She must have stolen it from one of their products. I thank Estella and pocket the symbol as the Peacekeepers escort her from the room, never to be seen again.

I sit in the corner bawling my eyes out and squeezing the metal lightening bolt, digging it into my palm. Maybe soon I will wake up and this will have all been a nasty dream.


	8. On a Train with District 10

**The Point of View of Brooklyn Virgona**

"Yeah but look how big Chesta is. Tasi is massive for a sixteen year old, but even he is small compared to Chesta."

I pull from my pocket a folded piece of paper containing the official list of tributes.

Even though we are on a train, the paper stays still in my hands. After all, it is a high tech bullet train that glides effortlessly over frictionless magnetic rails. Flint and I have been sitting here in this large luxurious compartment for about an hour talking about the fellow tributes. Flint, the other Tribute from District 10, is a curious boy with light caramel brown eyes including specks of green and slightly long sandy blond hair. He speaks now.

"Yeah Chesta sounds like a real contender even considering the Career tributes."

"Yeah but the tributes from 1,2 and 4 are ruthless. Did you see how brutal the Reapings were in District 4? One of the volunteers ended up dyeing without even making it into the Games. That guy Thunnus seems to be very strong and fast and Celeste should feel indebted to him," I say.

"Yeah, but what about Fin? He is so sure of himself, and coming from that Academy he is sure to be one tough competitor. It's just crazy how the Academies brainwash those kids into wanting to go to the Hunger Games."

"Yeah I mean, they might treat us to luxury like this," I say, gesturing to our ridiculously massive tray of food, "but in the end they just want to see us dead."

"Do you think you could win it? Could you actually win the Games?" Flint asks me.

"Well I'm not that good at fighting and stuff, but I could probably run and hide. Hopefully there is a forest or something to hide in. I used to read heaps of books about different animals and I know which plants are poisonous. I'm just not sure if I could kill people."

"Yeah neither. Maybe you could teach me what foods are edible. My only strengths are running and knives."

"You have experience running with knives?"

"Haha, nah I like to run around and my dad makes me chop up the kindling."

"Well hopefully you can get a knife in the arena then," I say.

I don't know why I am saying this. If Flint Woods gets a knife in the arena I will be in just as much trouble as everyone else. Although I am playing along with the friendly conversation I know that the Games have already begun, or at least the mind games. In the Games I am going to have to kill Flint or die.

**The Point of View of Flint Woods**

She is quite a beautiful girl. I first met Brooklyn yesterday at the Reapings. At first I was fooled by her long brown hair which screams; 'Don't mess with me.' But in reality underneath her pretty black dress and elegant bun she is just a friendly person. Already we've been talking for hours.

"So what's your strategy for the arena?" I ask.

"Um, probably just to grab a bag and run I guess. Hopefully there are some trees to hide in. What about you?"

"Yeah pretty much the same. I don't think I could kill anyone, so hopefully I don't have to. The bloodbath is going to be scary as though. If it's too dangerous I might just skip getting a bag and run away instead. Do you want to be allies?"

"Um, we'll see," she says.

I can tell that she thinks I'd be more of a liability than an ally. If she is to win, she is going to have to have allies that are willing to do the killings for her. I don't blame her. You have to be very careful of who you trust in these Games. After all we all have to kill each other in the end. I pick up another grape ponder what it is that Brooklyn is really thinking. She seems nice, but can I actually trust her at all? She is probably secretly plotting my demise as we speak. I can't really see how I'm going to win these Games, but I have to. I just can't imagine the alternative. I can't imagine not existing at all and having no consciousness. No, I have to harden up and win this. It's the only choice. I will have to kill people.


	9. A Chariot Ride with District 11

**The Point of View of Jett Wayland**

The next chariot entering the stadium contains Sky and Chesta. Inside the stadium I can see a large orange athletics track enclosed by massive stands filled with people. I notice stars and a moon projected onto the high black ceiling, and the multi-colored costumes of the Capitol. As our chariot moves out into the open my senses are bombarded by sound, flashing lights and millions of movements from the crowd. It suddenly dawns on me what a massive event the Games are here, and how fortunate I am to be involved. I can just imagine the crowd in a few weeks time. As victor they would idealize me. I could jump into the crowd and they would support me and carry me anywhere. Maybe they would even let me live in the Capitol?

The horses are pulling our chariots around the outside of the track. I wave to the excited crowd and get a multitude of waves back in response. This is great. Finally I have the adoring fans that I deserve. I look behind me to see the District 12 chariot. Julian and Thistle are dressed as some kind of underground miners. That's pretty cool, but not as good as our outfits though.

Way up high I can see President Snow sitting in a massive corporate box surrounded by his usual entourage of Gamemakers and important people.

"Ouch, what was that for!" I exclaim, as Kestrel punches me in the face.

She's always acting mental. I won't let her be seen to be bullying me in front of my admiring crowd. I punch her in the face and as expected she retaliates. Soon we are truly re-enacting the hand to hand combat seen in Roman coliseums. The crowd loves it. They think it is all a show. Even after the chariot pulls from the stadium we wrestle each other until she suddenly bolts. I think she is actually mentally deranged or something.

**The point of view of Kestrel Snarky**

I just totally love parading in front of millions of people in a cow costume. Especially with Jett; he's a real stunner.

I try my best to resist the urge to rip this ridiculous tight fitting costume off. It takes a lot of effort considering my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. I'll be naked if I rip off this white fluffy costume with large black dots, but it might be worth it in order to stop looking like a milking cow. It doesn't help that that annoying kid from school is here next to me acting like he's having fun. I swear it is almost as if they designed the outfits to be as humiliating as possible. The group behind us are impersonating coal miners, which means they are wearing ugly overalls smeared with soot. Tasi and Jack are trapped inside two big plastic trees. Nero and Pixie from District 3 are dressed as giant, red cylindrical capacitors. They look ridiculous with their heads and arms sticking out.

It's pretty obvious why they do it though. Why they make us parade around like zoo animals in outrageous costumes. They just want to make us seem orderly and compliant so there is a massive contrast when we enter the arena and start throttling each other. By the time all these chariot rides and training sessions are finished every one of this large crowd will be baying for blood.

OK, I just can't take this anymore. We are barely half-way around this stupid track and my hands are twitching like mad. Punch him; punch the little black haired demon. I punch him in the face. He punches me in the face. I punch him in the face again and wrap my arms around his head dragging him out of sight. I then continue to punch him as he tries to fight back. The crowd is cheering for some reason. Perhaps they think it is a rehearsed part of our show. Maybe they think this is where milk comes from? First you have to get the cow in a headlock and pound it in the ribcage repeatedly. In fact the cows must just routinely do it to each other.

As soon as we are out of the stadium I jump out of the chariot and sprint for the elevators. As I run I rip off parts of my costume and discard them, until five minutes later I am locked up in my room naked. The girl who stares back at me from the luxurious hotel mirror has straight, light brown waist length hair and deep blue eyes. Quickly I fix my hair, styling it into its usual plaited and clipped back self. After that I put my reaping outfit back on. It consists of a green and black checkered dress that reaches my knees and a brown cape with fur trim. That's better. I lay flat on my back on my bed, finally able to relax.


	10. Training Time with Districts 6 and 12

**The Point of View of Victoria Mernet**

Its training day and I find myself hanging out with Foy and the District 12 tributes in a massive room. To my horror this room has towering angular walls of plywood onto which thousands of plastic blobs are bolted. This in itself is not overly scary. The scary part is the fact that we are expected to climb up these walls whilst connected to a flimsy little rope. Pixie is all over the walls climbing everything with ease, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I hate doing anything that is new and adventurous. Instead I drag our group into one of the isolated corners where a short old man is running a display on camouflage.

At home I'd love to paint. I would paint what I saw in my dreams, so naturally the camouflage component of our training is my favorite. Foy lets me paint his arm with a brown bark pattern while Julian and Thistle look on.

"What's the point of camouflage anyway?" Julian asks. "You are going to have to come out of hiding at some point otherwise you will starve!"

"Yeah but if they can't find you they can't kill you," I say defensively.

The truth is I don't like any of the other aspects of the Games. I don't like heights, blood or seeing people in pain. I would rather die than do all these adventurous new activities. Being dead would be peaceful after all. There would be no pain, no responsibility, just peace.

I can tell that Julian and Thistle aren't interested in painting on camouflage, but Foy is nice and allows me to paint his other arm. Thistle has gone and picked up a barbell and is doing some bicep curls with it. She is really quite a strong and muscular woman. She has long white-blond hair which extends to the waist of her big boned, curvy body. She has pale skin and big blue eyes. But the most interesting thing I have found out about the girl from District 12 is that she is bi-polar. She has her usual light side which is friendly and easy going, but I have seen her dark side. When she is in a bad mood, Thistle is not afraid of anyone and would kill you in a second without a moment of thought. On one occasion she had been angry at Julian and had just let him freefall the final three meters of the climbing wall. This scares me, and I ever since I have been careful to keep Thistle happy. But now merely ten minutes later, Thistle and Julian are cooperating nicely. Right now Julian is holding up a punching bag for Thistle to hit.

**The Point of View of Foy Antrie**

Victoria has both my arms painted like tree trunks. I let her do it, but I know we should be doing some real training. I just don't want to hurt her feelings. It's difficult for me. On one hand, having an ally from District 12 would definitely help in the Games. But I get the feeling Victoria isn't even going to make it past the bloodbath. She wouldn't even go rock climbing and she hates anything mildly adventurous. Therefore a free for all killing competition with crude weapons, the epitome of adventure, is not going to suit her. I should be dragging her over to the weapons area with Julian and Thistle. They are the type of people we should be getting friendly with after all. Look at the way Thistle is hitting that bag. She is just so strong.

I grab Victoria's hand and drag her over to a stand holding archery bows. I put a bow into her arms and stand behind her, positioning her body like the instructor had taught me. I show her where to place her fingers, and then insert an arrow aimed directly at the heart of the human outline drawn onto the wall. I can tell Victoria is nervous, but all the same I help her pull the string back with enough force for the arrow to reach the target. The shot wouldn't have killed anyone, but it would have at least slowed them down a bit.

Once again I drag Victoria by the hand over to where Julian and Thistle are now talking to a young woman about edible plants. Surely this isn't too adventurous!

**The Point of View of Julian Storm**

I'm at the edible foods stall with Thistle, Sky and Chesta. I can see Foy dragging Victoria over also. Victoria is such a wimp. She is going to get utterly destroyed in the Games. Chesta on the other hand is the man. I just saw him and Tasi taking turns at bench pressing 130 kilograms without even really pushing themselves. I tried it and I couldn't even lift the weights off the bar. The best I could do was 75 kilograms.

Right now the guy is telling us about which berries are poisonous. I should really be listening because statistically every year heaps of people die from being poisoned in the Games. I'm pretty sure the Gamemakers purposely try to trick us into poisoning ourselves. I'd rather be practicing fighting though. I try to listen to the man talk about pine nuts but it's just too boring.

After a minute I follow Thistle over to where Flash, Diamond, Fin and Coral are practicing climbing. At the moment Fin is hanging by his arms from a campus board and using his upper body strength to jump up it at a rate of three rungs at a time.

"We had a much harder campus board at the Academy," Fin gloats.

Not really wanting to associate with the Career tributes, Thistle and I take to the bouldering cave and climb up some large holds on the underside of a steep wall. The training sessions in previous years have never been so climbing orientated. Could this be a hint that knowing how to climb is going to be important in the Games? Perhaps so, but I still do not have a clue as to in what way. Maybe there are heaps of trees with tree huts connected by Tarzan swings, flying foxes and rope walks? It's anyone's guess really, but I am secretly satisfied when an hour later my forearms are completely swollen and I can no longer grip anything. I look down at the skin on my hands which is now red, blistered and throbbing. Now that's what I call a good training session.

**The Point of View of Thistle Kellik**

From ten meters up at the top of this climb I can see all of the tributes training. Foy and Victoria are mucking around at the bottom of the climb. Chesta, Jack, Tasi and Sky are in the weight lifting area. The Careers are showing off their knife throwing abilities. Jett, Nero and Pixie are at the medics stall and Kestrel is strolling around by herself as usual. Linden, Barda, Sora and Sakura are at the edible plants stand and Brooklyn and Flint are learning how to camouflage themselves. I can tell that they are going to need all the camouflaging they can get considering the way Fin and Coral are throwing those knives.

"Hey let me down now!" I call out to Julian.

He has been belaying me as I top-rope this climb. It was quite a hard climb so I'm quite delighted. Julian slowly lowers me down as I swing backwards and forwards between the soft mats and the hard wooden floor. Julian quickly lets me fall the last two meters as I swing over the mats but his timing is off and I fall heavily onto the wooden floor.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" he pleads.

I am momentarily in shock. Nothing hurts, but what is Julian playing at? Is he trying to injure me before the Games or something? If so I'll show him! I pretend to be unaffected by the incident and offer to belay him up another climb.


	11. Private Training with District 3

**The Point of View of Nero Caligula**

After Coral Turner it is time for District 3's private training sessions. Being the male tribute I am up first. I stride into the gymnasium fully aware that my soft facial features and ectomorphic body make me look even younger than my age of thirteen years. The Gamemakers are all staring at me as if this is some kind of joke.

It is unusual for a thirteen year old to volunteer for the Games, especially from District 3 but this is my time to shine. It's time for all eyes to be on me. I may not be a physical specimen with my shoulder length curly blond hair, but the Games are more about putting on a show and killing people than being a fitness competition.

After talking to my trainer we decided that my main strengths are making poisons, and acting helpless. Therefore my aim today is to trick the Gamemakers into giving me a low training score. Therefore in the Games hopefully people will underestimate me. In reality however I am an expert at making extremely deadly poisons to stop the functions of the human body. I specialize in darts and needles, but right now I am using my second strength which is acting, to get my way.

I stride over to the edible foods section and see some poison berries; however I purposely pick an edible one. Over in the weapons section I find a blow gun and jab the end of the dart into the berry. I then aim the blow gun at the head of the dummy used for knife practice. However just before I fire I jerk my hands upwards in a realistic representation of nervousness causing the dart to fly way over the figure's head. It seems to have worked. The Gamemakers are not paying any attention to me now. I usually adore attention, and want to be the center of it but my acting abilities take over and I excuse myself and walk out of the gym.

Surely they won't give me a good score for that! For all they know I'm just a midget thirteen year old who was stupid enough to volunteer for the games and is unable to use any of the weapons. Perfect!

**The Point of View of Persephone "Pixie" Bradley**

"Pixie Bradley"

My name is called fifteen minutes after Nero's. I walk in to the gymnasium where the Gamemakers are seated at a long food laden table raised three meters off the ground on a platform. Perfect, they will get a good view of my chosen skill. All the Gamemaker's heads are turned towards me as a walk in. I am relatively small for a seventeen year old Hunger Games volunteer; therefore any demonstrations of close combat are out of the question. Instead I have my blond hair tied up in a French braid ready to show my potential sponsors a real skill: climbing.

After making sure all of the Gamemakers are paying attention I confidently stride over to the climbing wall and start speed climbing it. I picked an easy climb with large holds; one that I had done previously in training. However I still have to be careful considering that the wall is beyond vertical and there is nobody around to belay me. This is really more of a show of nerve than anything else.

The first few moves I carry out with exaggerated and unnecessary dynamic leaps. Once I get above four meters I revert to fluent static reaches with impeccable technique. My love for climbing, slight body and gymnastics background are truly of benefit here, however I know that any finger slip will result in instant injury if not death. But what choice do I have? If I can't impress the sponsors I will be dead in the arena anyway. This stunt is a calculated risk.

Finally I reach the top of the ten meter climb and hang from the plywood edge at the top theatrically. Now for the hard part: climbing down without any chalk for my hands. The holds are already slippery from the ascent. I knew this would happen. We had discussed it earlier, but my stylist had not been able to incorporate discretely a chalk bag into the design of my tightly fitting black long-sleeved leotard.

Quickly and less gracefully I climb back down the same way I came up. I am starting to sweat and I am aware that all the Gamemakers are watching me, probably mildly interested in seeing a cute young girl hurt herself. I start to feel more comfortable as I get closer to the ground; however my forearms are losing their strength. I should really have done a proper warm up. OK change of plan, I'm not going to climb down the last three meters. Instead I find two large holds, lift my legs up high on the wall and push off. There is a collective gasp from the crowd, which is converted into applause when I land the double backwards summersault perfectly on the mats. I bow graciously to the Gamemakers and smile happily before walking out of the gymnasium. That went perfectly!

This is confirmed later when Nero and I are handed print outs of everyone's training scores:

**Flash Aurum**  
District 1  
Male  
18 years  
180 cm  
74 kg  
Training score: **10**

**Diamond Louis**  
District 1  
Female  
18 years  
165 cm  
50 kg  
Training score: **8**

**Fin Lay**  
District 2  
Male  
18 years  
180 cm  
88 kg  
Training score: **9**

**Coral Turner**  
District 2  
Female  
16 years  
147 cm  
45 kg  
Training score:** 9**

**Nero Caligula**  
District 3  
Male  
13 years  
149 cm  
41 kg  
Training score: **4**

**Persephon Bradley**  
District 3  
Female  
17 years  
155 cm  
47 kg  
Training score: **10**

**Thunnus Seidon**  
District 4  
Male  
17 years  
174 cm  
67 kg  
Training score: **11**

**Celeste Hale**  
District 4  
Female  
16 years  
151 cm  
38 kg  
Training score:** 9**

**Chesta Edwoods**  
District 5  
Male  
18 years  
200 cm  
125 kg  
Training score: **11**

**Skylar Clouds**  
District 5  
Female  
15 years  
162 cm  
53 kg  
Training score:** 5**

**Foy Antrie**  
District 6  
Male  
12 years  
168 cm  
50 kg  
Training score: **6**

**Victoria Mernet**  
District 6  
Female  
16 year  
160 cm  
45 kg  
Training score: **4**

**Tasi Merkava**  
District 7  
Male  
16 years  
193 cm  
111 kg  
Training score: **8**

**Jacquelin Aspen**  
District 7  
Female  
18 years  
190 cm  
77 kg  
Training score: **8**

**Linden Garder**  
District 8  
Male  
14 years  
147 cm  
41 kg  
Training score: **6**

**Sakura Velvet**  
District 8  
Female  
16 years  
157 cm  
42 kg  
Training score: **6**

**Barda Moss**  
District 9  
Male  
15 years  
170 cm  
50 kg  
Training score: **6**

**Sora Painton**  
District 9  
Female  
15 years  
150 cm  
45 kg  
Training score: **6**

**Flint Woods**  
District 10  
Male  
14 years  
160 cm  
52 kg  
Training score:** 6**

**Brooklyn Virgona**  
District 10  
Female  
17 years  
170 cm  
53 kg  
Training score: **7**

**Jett Wayland**  
District 11  
Male  
15 years  
165 cm  
60 kg  
Training score: **7**

**Kestrel Snarky**  
District 11  
Female  
15 years  
165 cm  
60 kg  
Training score: **8**

**Julian Storm**  
District 12  
Male  
16 years  
172 cm  
59 kg  
Training score: **7**

**Thistle Kellik**  
District 12  
Female  
15 year  
167 cm  
73 kg  
Training score: **8**

A ten. That's amazing! I will have sponsors for sure!


	12. Interviews with Districts 7 and 8

**The Point of View of Tasi Merkava**

Four hours for content! What does she want, my whole life story? It turns out this is exactly what my mentor wants.

"We have to find an aspect of your personality that will gain the crowd's favor!" my mentor insists, obviously unimpressed with my short grunting responses. "You really need to open up otherwise you will have no sponsors and no chance in the Games! It's for your own benefit."

She is right of course.

"Let's start again from the beginning. You are Tasi Merkava a sixteen year old male tribute from District 7. You are obviously physically impressive for a sixteen year old," she says consulting her piece of paper. "It says here you are 193 centimeters tall and 111 kilograms, and I can tell that it is all muscle. We will definitely be playing the 'tough guy' card tonight. It will go well with your rough long, dark-brown curly hair, and rugged look."

"Right," I grunt.

"Now I notice you're the definition of a gentle giant who wouldn't hurt anyone. You are always very cool, calm and collected. I want you to play on these attributes in the interview, but try to also appear dangerous. Girls love the hint of danger. What else can you tell me about your history, because they will definitely ask that and I want you to open up to them?"

"I was abandoned in the middle of a forest by my father at the age of five and managed to find some food to survive off of. I lived on the streets eating scraps I found in rubbish bins. When I was seven I found a stray German Sheppard puppy and named her Hope. Up until being selected for the Games she has been with me everywhere I went. At eight years old the boss of a lumber company found me on the streets and took me on as a worker in the lumber yard. He got me to try school but it didn't work out. I passed 9th grade barely before dropping out so I could work full time."

"Oh wow, this is great!" she exclaims. "I mean, well, no not great for you of course, but we definitely need to get this out there. Perhaps the gentle giant approach is the way forward and make sure you twist your answers to tell them what you just told me now!"

"OK."

"So do you have any friends back home, a girlfriend perhaps?"

"Nope."

"OK, Caesar is probably going to use that to sell you to the females in the audience so be prepared for that. What's the story behind your limp? You have to hide that when walking around on stage, I'll make sure you get some specially made shoes."

"That was from when I was twelve. A tree fell on my knee tearing all the ligaments and breaking my bones. It never really recovered so I can't walk very fast and have to limp."

"OK great we have heaps of stuff for you to talk about. Tasi, you truly are an interesting person. It's just a pity that you wouldn't ever hurt anybody. If we could fix that, my money would be on you to win the Games."

"Right."

**The Point of View of Jacquelin Aspen**

"So which do you prefer: Jack or Jacquelin?" Caesar asks.

"Call me Jack," I say.

"OK, now Jack, you come from District 7, tell us all about what you do in District 7?"

"Well I like to work out every day, and me and my friends like to do dangerous things like throwing axes at each other and bungy jumping."

"Oh wow, look out boys Jack is dangerous!" Caesar laughs, his freshly dyed orange hair bobbing up and down. "Well you are going to love these Games then. Don't tell anyone but the Head Gamemaker whispered into my ear, he told me this year's arena is going to be something of a thrill seeker's dream. But back to you dear girl, you say that you work out every day, let me just say on behalf of the males in the audience you look stunning! May I ask if you have a boyfriend back home?"

"Why no," I say, thinking about Mathias back home.

He would understand of course. Our relationship is purely platonic, and I need as much crowd support as I can get right now. As predicted, Caesar jumps on my response enthusiastically.

"A fit, tall, adventure seeking girl like yourself won't have any problems finding a boyfriend around here, will she boys?"

There is a lot of wolf whistles from the crowd, and I can feel my face going red slightly. Caesar notices this and quickly changes the topic.

"I know you don't want to give too much away, but what will Jack's strategy be in the arena? You can trust our audience to keep a secret."

There is a lot of laughter from the audience and I join in with it knowing full well that this interview is streaming live to everyone in Panem.

"Well, let's just say that I plan on laying low and making no enemies, and if any of you fellow tributes want to be allies then just come and join me."

"An invitation; how very neat. Now we would love to have had you for longer Jack, you are a real crowd favorite but the Gamemakers set the rules around here, only three minutes per interview."

I get up and wave graciously to the cheering crowd before walking gracefully from the stage. Mission accomplished. As I walk out I see Linden waiting nervously.

"Next up is Linden Gander"

The small boy from District 8 stands up and walks towards the stage. He has curly blond hair, a tan and hazel eyes. I'd be interested to hear how he tries to sell himself to the crowd. I wish him luck.

**The Point of View of Linden Garder**

"Next up is Linden Gander"

I walk up onto the stage as Jack is walking down. She wishes me luck, which boosts my spirits slightly. My mentor wants me to play 'small but elusive', but I don't care, I do what I want. This is the same mentor that told me I should run from the Cornucopia immediately during the Bloodbath. As if that's going to happen.

"Greetings Linden!" booms Caesar, in his characteristic manner stretching out his hand.

I shake his hand and take a seat on the guest's sofa. It's really comfy.

"So Linden, tell the audience here about your life back in District 8. Do you have brothers or sisters?

"Erm, yeah I have two older sisters."

"And I am sure they are at home watching this right now. May I ask what their names are?"

"Um, Althea and Kathri," I say.

"Oh what wonderful names!" applauds Caesar. "How very wonderful. So Linden, not to give anything away but what would do you think will be your strengths in the arena? We have all seen you having fun throwing knives around at training."

"Um, yeah I like playing with knives, but mum and dad usually don't let me."

"Oh of course not. We wouldn't you to cut yourself would we? So what strategies does Linden have for the arena? I guess you will be looking to get your hands on a knife?"

"Oh yeah, I'm going to look through all the weapons at the Cornucopia for a knife then I'll go around cutting people up."

"Oh wow, how dangerous! You are a person that we really should be keeping an eye out for in the Sixty-ninth Hunger Games. Such bravery. And say you do survive the initial bloodbath, do you plan on forming any alliances in the Arena?"

"Haha, there's no point. We have to kill each other in the end anyway. Might as well not pretend aye."

"So true, so true. Well thank you for coming along tonight Linden, I really feel that we have learned a lot about the true Linden Garden, and we all wish you the best of luck in the arena."

There is another round of applause signaling me to leave the stage. I do just that, and on my way out make eye contact with Sakura Velvet. She's a bit older than me but has a cute innocent glow, petite gentle curves and long straight jet black hair. She gives me two thumbs up before her name is called out to go up on stage.

**The Point of View of Sakura Velvet**

"Next up is Sakura Velvet"

OK let's just do this. I jump up and join Caesar up on stage. The experience is overwhelming for me as I can see thousands of faces staring at me. I pinch myself and focus my attention on Caesar who is helping me into a comfy chair.

"So Sakura Velvet, I love your name. Am I right in saying that back in your home District you work a lot with velvet?"

"Thanks, um yes we do actually, but I prefer silk myself."

"Of course, don't we all!" Caesar laughs, gesturing to his silk vest. "So am I right in saying that weaving is what you do in District 8?"

"Yeah I also like to bake cakes and make sweets."

"Yes indeed. I like eating cakes and sweets, but I'm not so sure about making them myself. Maybe if I did I wouldn't have this excess weight!" he gestures to his stomach and the crowd bursts into laughter. "So Sakura, what are you strengths in the arena? You look pretty fast."

I just blush, and Caesar is forced to continue.

"Well forgive us, but we've had a little bit of a chat with your classroom teacher and she tells us you are have the best grades in the entire school."

Again I just blush. What am I meant to say anyway? Caesar continues.

"Now Sakura, I am sure you have friends watching back home?"

"Um yeah, Angelina and Jeremy."

"Oh, Jeremy isn't your boyfriend is he?" Caesar teases.

I just laugh. Jeremy is more of a brother to me, but I play along.

"OK Sakura It has been great talking to you tonight and we wish you the best of luck for the upcoming Games."

Caesar shakes my hand once again and I leave the stage thankful that that is over. As I leave I can see Barda wearing a neat suit and about to make his way onto the stage. I wish him luck, before turning my attention towards thinking about the Games that will start in a few days time.


	13. The Bloodbath

**The Point of View of Flash Aurum**

The gong sounds. I race into the middle of the Cornucopia, adrenaline surging through my veins. Where are the other Careers? Their tubes were mostly placed on the far side of this plywood platform. Oh well. I'm a Career tribute; I'll just take people down myself. Tributes are running everywhere. A little girl runs past. I think she comes from Chesta's District. I chase her down and grab hold of her. Now what do I do without any weapons? I'm just about to snap her neck when a monster tackles me, lifting me in the air and dumping me on the hard wooden floor. From the ground I look up to see Sky running off followed by Tasi.

That was a bit embarrassing. I pick myself up and sprint around the horn where finally I see the Career tributes, well at least the ones from District 4. To my surprise however they are both laying motionless on the ground. Standing above them is Chesta the giant, holding a seven kilogram shot put. This is definitely not going to plan at all. I sneak up behind Chesta and jump up to rip the shot put out of his hand. He swings around but is simultaneously hit in the back by Coral. It looks like she has found herself an ice axe. Chesta picks me up and drives me into the plywood floor before turning his attention to Coral. I roll away and get back up again like the machine that I am and search for a weapon in the pile of stuff around the Cornucopia. There seems to be just a bunch of sports equipment: a golf club, tennis racket and a baseball bat. I pick up the later and survey the situation. Fin, Diamond and Coral are ganging up on Chesta, and most of the other tributes seem to be running away. There is however a girl with her back to me, standing close to the platform edge. She is an easy kill. I sneak up behind her with the bat. To my surprise I notice there is a second smaller platform on which a boy is standing. He's seen me.

There is a scream from the other side of the platform. It sounds like one of the girls has fallen off.

I fling the baseball bat at the back of the girl's head.

"Duck," shouts the boy.

The girl who I now recognize as Sora reacts quickly and my bat narrowly misses her head and lands amongst a pile of backpacks on the second platform. Damn it! Sora is rushing towards me now. I take a step back in surprise. What weapon could she possibly have in that clenched fist of hers? What a fool I am, it was nothing. She was bluffing so as to get a run up to jump over to the other platform.

Angry now, I find the shot put and hurl it at them. It's a desperate effort though. Sora smashes the large metal sphere with the wooden baseball bat causing it to shatter into sharp splinters. I glare at Sora and she pokes her tongue out at me. She knows I can't get her now. I turn on my heel and return to the Cornucopia, where the action has died down slightly.

**The Point of View of Diamond Louis**

It's just not as exciting without Chesta. The bloodbath has calmed down leaving motionless bodies scattered everywhere. There's just one little kid still running around on the platform, the rest of the tributes must have escaped over the edge.

We spread out, Flash to the left and Fin and Coral to my right. The boy can't escape. We enclose our net around him. The boy looks desperate, and I think he is quickly summoning the courage to climb over the edge of the platform, but it's too late now, he had his chance. Fin grabs him dragging him away from the edge, and we each take one of his limbs lifting him off the ground. He is screaming for mercy but we have all been trained to ignore such pleas and block it out completely. We carry him to the edge of the platform so that his head is over the edge and he can see the hundred meter drop. He screams even loader.

"Ok swing him back and forwards," Fin commands.

We each hold on to one of his limbs and swing the boy backwards and forwards towards the edge. He is struggling like mad but we are strong.

"On the count of three. One, two, three. "

Simultaneously we release the boy and he flies cleanly over the edge of the platform. His screams diminish in volume and culminate in a thud four seconds later.

Now that it's only us four left on this plywood platform I remember that we are almost definitely being watched by everyone in the country. I comb my straight blonde hair with my fingers, wondering how I am going to last in the Games without makeup or even a shower.

Flash and Fin are checking the pulses of Thunnus and Celeste respectively.

"Thunnus is still alive, I can feel her breathing," reports Flash.

I think he must have been knocked unconscious. Fin and Flash drag his body into the horn away from the other bodies. He could be in a coma for all we know. Coral has found a blanket and puts it over him.

Celeste on the other hand stands up by herself. Evidentially she was just playing dead so people would leave her alone. The only injury she really has is a headache. So now the Career pack is back to six, although one of the members is incapacitated. Since that member is not me, this is a perfect start!

**The Point of View of Fin Lay**

Ha-ha. This is awesome; the best moment ever. The gong sounds and I charge to the Cornucopia. Naturally I am the first to reach the pile of weapons, but sadly there isn't anything sharp and deadly; just a bunch of sports equipment. I spot a track and field hammer and start swinging it around powerfully trying to hit people. No one can touch me, it's like I have a force field around me. As I spin I move towards some little girl and manage to smash her in the stomach she falls to the ground in pain and stops moving. I have to start the spin again, slowly gathering speed. Once I have reached my maximum velocity again I start looking for targets. The next boy gets the full impact of the seven kilogram implement straight to the temple. I don't envision seeing him walking around anymore.

I have to admit despite my years of training, I am starting to get a bit dizzy by now. I start to swing the hammer again but as I reach top speed I lose my balance and inadvertently lose my grip on the handle. The hammer goes so far that it flies clear over the platform edge and out of sight.

Immediately I return to the weapons pile. There are some golf balls a cricket bat and a javelin. Of course I pick the javelin and start whacking people with it. I can't do much damage with it however, as by now everyone is giving me a wide berth, except for one guy. Foy is picking through the contents of one of the backpacks, oblivious to what is going on around him. That's strange; I didn't think that he was that clinically deranged. I sneak up behind him and stab him through the neck with the javelin. I then pull the Javelin out ensuring that he bleeds to death. These Games are like a catalyst for the process of natural selection.

I hear it now; a scream. It's Coral. I sprint around the Cornucopia to find Chesta standing over Coral with an ice axe in his hand. She is doing well to prevent him pushing the sharp edge into her temple, but not for long. I jump on Chesta's back and jab the blood drenched tip of the javelin into his kidney region. The giant's latissimus dorsi is too muscular however; I cannot even pierce the skin no matter how hard I try. Diamond is here also adding her weight. I climb up Chesta's back and with Diamond's help manage to lock his arms up. There's a struggle in which I manage to maneuver the javelin so that it is bent hard against his neck restricting his airway. It only takes a minute with no oxygen for the giant to fall. The saying is true: The bigger they are the harder they fall. Even after he loses consciousness I give it another minute just to make sure. Better safe than sorry. To tell you the truth, I am just a little bit relieved that Chesta is dead.

**The Point of View of Coral Turner**

Following Fin around at a distance isn't such a bad strategy. Firstly you always have an eye on the most deadly person around, and secondly his victims drop things. Linden had an ice axe until Fin killed him. Now I have an ice axe and Chesta in my sights.

Ominously it looks like Chesta has already taken down the Careers from District 4. Nevertheless Flash grabs a shot put out of Chesta's hands and I stab him in the back. The ice axe doesn't piece his thick skin though. The weapons this year are useless like that. In no time Chesta is on top of me ripping the ice axe out of my hand and pushing it into my temple. This brings me to the third reason why it's a good idea for me to follow Fin around. Before Chesta can cut my head open, Fin and Diamond are on his back quite literally. They pull the ice axe away from my temple and constrain his arms behind his back. Fin has a javelin which he has pressed up against Chesta's throat. I get the impression that the javelin must be cutting off Chesta's breathing. I can tell by the way he has let go of me and is jumping around like a desperate madman. One minute with Fin and Chesta isn't quite so animated. In fact he is unconscious on the ground. Fin does not take any risks when it comes to making sure Chesta is dead. He's my clinical, cold blooded killer after all.

**The Point of View of Nero Caligula**

Not bad for a tribute with a training score of four. Not only have I managed to avoid being killed in the bloodbath, but I have climbed down the tower and found myself an ally. Brooklyn is a seventeen year old girl with a Vietnamese background. She is of average height with long brown hair. Right now we are walking through the sand together towards the forest.

"So Nero, why didn't you wait till you were eighteen before volunteering for the Games?"

"Just thought it was the right time," I shrug. "I guess I just want people to realize that I'm not just an insignificant thirteen year old. I actually have some talents."

"What sort of talents?"

"Well I know the structure and function of the human body very well and can therefore brew poisons from just about anything."

"Remind me not to eat anything you give me."

"Haha, I can do other stuff too, like at private training. I was just pretending to be weak and helpless; I am actually an expert in making poison darts. I could have gotten at least eleven out of twelve if I actually tried my hardest."

"Right."

**The Point of View of Pixie Bradley**

Sky, Flint, Tasi and I are just climbing down the last section of the tower. It's just like climbing a ladder really, except some people find it hard still.

As I wait for the others to catch up I stare up at the towers. The midday sun shines down brightly. The towers cast a large shadow on what is otherwise a hot sandy desert. The Bloodbath is still going on at the large plywood platform at the top of this tower. On the other smaller tower I can see some movement. I can't wait to climb that tower too. With my climbing ability I am going to have a real advantage on this map! The others have finally caught up so I continue down swinging the last few meters and dropping onto the sand into a roll. The sand is hot and burns my skin slightly until I brush it off.

"Let's sit down in the shade and sort this out," I say.

Secretly I would rather have Sky on my team as I don't trust the boys.

"How about we split up? Do you want to come to the forest with me, Sky?" I ask.

"Yeah sure."

"OK so me and Sky are going to that pine forest we saw earlier. There must be some fresh water there for the plants to grow."

"OK then me and Tasi will have a look at the ocean. There's bound to be some sea food there, maybe some crabs."

That was easy. I thought they would try to tag along with me. Sky and I both have backpacks which we strap on tightly. We wish the boys good luck and set off over the vast sand dunes towards the pine forest.

**The Point of View of Thunnus Seidon**

It's started. I look over to Celeste. She's going for it. I follow suit charging not towards the Cornucopia but instead at Chesta. We collide with the giant simultaneously from both sides as planned, however he's just too big to bring to the ground.

We struggle for a few seconds but it is futile. Chesta grabs me by the hair and thrusts my head forward bashing it into Celeste's, once, twice

**The Point of View of Celeste Hale**

Our tubes drop down into the arena and the one minute countdown begins. I look around taking in the arena. I can only see blue sky in all directions. It's almost as if we are on top of a platform high in the air. The Cornucopia is covered in a pile of objects and there and backpacks scatted haphazardly all over the place. I spot what I was looking for: Chesta. He is four places to my left, and Thunnus is about ten. This is perfect.

The gong sounds and I run to my left, pushing aside some boy to get at Chesta. Thunnus and I both crash into Chesta at the same moment. I try to pull the big man to the ground but it's impossible. He grabs me by the hair and bashes my head into Thunnus' once, twice, three times until we stop moving, then drops us on the hard ground. I am still conscious, but my head is throbbing and my brain is scrambled. I stay still with my eyes closed waiting for the finishing blow but it doesn't come. In this helpless state what can I do other than lay as still as possible? I don't even dare to open my eyes.

**The Point of View of Chesta Edwoods**

With a training score of 11 I was expecting to be targeted by the Career tributes, but not this quickly. The two from District 4 are already trying to wrestle me to the ground. I don't really want to hurt them but they leave me no choice. Soon more of them will find me. I grab both tributes by the hair and hit their heads together just hard enough to knock them unconscious but not hard enough to kill them.

A shot put rolls into my shin and I pick it up. Reverting back to 'plan A' I run onwards to grab a backpack. Hopefully it will have some food and a flask. I will need those out in the bush. I only manage to get four steps before someone grabs the shot put out of my hands. I push him over and am hit in the back with an axe of some description. Thankfully it's not very sharp. My attacker is Coral, the girl from District 2, which means Fin must be around here somewhere. I put my arms around Coral and hug her to the ground then grab a hold of her arm, taking control of the ice axe. It is then that they hit me; two people jump onto my back. It's almost as if I am a giant magnet for Career tributes. Fin is digging a blunt object into my lower back and I think Diamond is trying to pull my arm off. I try to pull these monkeys off my back, but I am not flexible enough and they have my arms pinned. Fin has some large plastic stick pressed up hard against my throat so that I can't breathe. I ignore Coral and thrash about jumping up and down, fully aware that every movement is wasting oxygen. Fin and Diamond are holding on to my back for dear life. Fin is just too strong and determined. I can feel my strength fading, and my vision starts to blur. I don't have the strength to fight back or the will to try. It's just too easy to drift out of consciousness, and I do.

**The Point of View of Sky Clouds**

The gong goes and I run for a backpack. I manage to grab one but am tackled by Flash. He is unarmed but is way bigger and stronger than I. Being a Career tribute he could probably kill me with his bare hands. I struggle to free myself but it is no use. My future is looking pretty bleak when Tasi arrives. He rips Flash away from me and tackles him to the ground.

"Quick, run!"

We follow a stream of others towards the edge of the platform. Apparently if you climb over the edge there is a steel structure to hold on to. I am not comfortable with climbing over the edge, but I am also not comfortable with being around people like Careers like Flash. Tasi and I are joined by Flint and Pixie. I would have never climbed over the edge of the platform if Pixie wasn't here to help. She is such a good climber, and isn't scared of heights at all. She swings using only her hands on the 'I beams', one hundred meters above the ground.

"Make sure you keep your legs on the 'I beam' at all times," Pixie instructs. "Now just shuffle along. Once you get to the main tower it's much easier."

She is speaking mostly to Tasi and I. Flint is also good at climbing. After forty meters of inching upside down along a beam that is one hundred meters up in the air we are finally approaching the main tower.

**The Point of View of Foy Antrie**

The gong sounds. I rush forward to the center of the cornucopia like most of the tributes. I look through the weapons chucking aside a shot put and a tennis racket. What is all this junk about? I thought there was meant to be stuff like swords and bows! After thirty seconds I give up. I wonder if the weapons are in the backpacks. I bet the Gamemakers would find that hilarious. I lose my money. All that is there is a bunch of rope, a sleeping bag, flask and some other stuff. Could I strangle people with the rope?

Something hits me in the neck very hard. I am in extreme pain and blood spurts everywhere as the object is removed. I turn my head to see the my attacker is Fin. Why was I not keeping an eye on him? Blood is pouring all over me, I cannot stop it. A red stain is expanding around me on the yellow plywood. It is agony like no other, like slamming your hand in a car door four billion times at once. I lay down trying to stem the flow of blood with my hand but it is a torrent. How much blood is there in a human body anyway? I must surely die of blood loss. I start to feel faint. Oxygen is not reaching brain. Either that or I am hyperventilating; well and truly in panic mode. My vision starts to fade until I can see nothing. Then the pain starts to disappear too.

**The Point of View of Victoria Mernet**

Oh my God! How did I end up in this situation? I hate anything even remotely different or adventurous and now I am standing at the edge of an eighty meter diameter plywood platform, which is swaying around one hundred meters in the air.

My plan was to run from the Cornucopia and hide but how can I when to do so involves climbing over the edge of the platform? I am sure there must be some kind of steel support structure to hang on to, but even if I had a rope I would never do that! I am stuck between a rock and a hard place. My only other option is to stay on this platform which is currently the scene of a mass murder. Tributes are running around with all manner of weapons hurting and killing each other. There are blood stains on the plywood and dead bodies are scattered everywhere. If I stick around a girl like me will surely be the next to be slaughtered. What do I do!

I do have one more option. I always thought it would be peaceful to die; much better than living in pain. Even so, jumping off a platform one hundred meters in the air is highly adventurous and will take a lot of courage. A boy is running towards me. It's now or never. I can't allow him to attack me. I close my eyes and run forward tripping over the edge of the platform and spinning in to an erratic accelerated descent. I keep my eyes tightly closed the whole time as wind rushes past my body. So this is what it is like to die. It's not too bad. As I fall, all my problems, responsibilities and fears evaporate.

Thud.

**The Point of View of Tasi Merkava**

Jett has his legs wrapped around me as I hang from a steel beam one hundred meters in the air. I can feel beads of sweat forming on my hands and the muscles in my forearm are beginning to tire. I grip on as hard as I can to the silver painted metal surface.

Help is on the way. Flint kicks Jett's fingers causing him to lose his grip. He then kicks him in the face until his legs give way causing him to fall to his death. Flint has just saved my life. I would have never been able to kill Jett like that, as I don't like to hurt people no matter what they do to me. What could I possibly do to repay him?

The rest of the climb is relatively easy. It's like a big ladder. Once on the ground Pixie and Sky want to split up and head for the forest, which leaves me with Flint. Maybe we can team up and I will get the chance to repay Flint for saving my life. We walk together towards the ocean. He is on a mission and I can tell that my limp is slowing him down. Suddenly he bolts.

"Hey come back!" I yell after him, but it's no use.

I'm alone. I hate being alone, but maybe for once it is in my best interests to be alone.

**The Point of View of Jack Aspen**

What am I going to do? Running from the Cornucopia isn't an option considering that the map appears to consist merely of two circular plywood platforms.

"Ten, nine, eight."

If I get enough speed I reckon I could clear the gap between the two platforms. On the smaller platform there is a pile of backpacks that I am eying up. Unlike everyone else I am facing directly away from the Cornucopia.

"Three, two, one."

The gong goes and I get the biggest adrenaline rush ever. I surge forwards and away from the Cornucopia. I only slow down to time my last few steps before leaping over the gap and onto the second smaller platform. From my jump I'm guessing the platforms are about four meters apart and swaying in the wind like mad.

Now that I am relatively safe I take the time to look over the platform's plywood edge and immediately get a second burst of adrenaline. The platforms are held approximately one hundred meters in the air by two elaborate steel support structures. If only they had some Bungy cords. I grab one of the backpacks and undo it to inspect the contents. The result is even better than Bungy cords. Inside each backpack is a B.A.S.E. jumping parachute. Immediately I strap a backpack to myself and pull out the pilot chute. Like an expert I do not hesitate in jumping over the side of the platform whilst throwing the pilot chute out above me. The air rushed past me as I accelerate towards the ground. This is amazing! I have always wanted to B.A.S.E. jump. The pilot chute catches air and the drag force produced pulls the main chute out of my backpack. The rushing air catches this too and I decelerate rapidly until I am floating peacefully through the air. I take this opportunity to survey the surroundings. The map appears to consist of two towers placed onto an island. Directly below me, as I steer away from the towers, are vast rolling sand dunes. In front of me is a forest of elderly pine trees and in the distance in all directions there only the deep blue ocean.

After only a few seconds I land on the sand, and pack my parachute. Hopefully I will need it again later. I seem to have landed in a sandy valley so I cannot see anything around me so I start walking in the general direction of the forest. Surely the forest is the best place to find some fresh water and a safe place to hide.

**The Point of View of Linden Garder**

According to my trainer I am meant to be running away from the Cornucopia right now. As if that was ever going to happen! Instead I'm tossing aside tennis balls in search of a knife. All I can find however is an ice axe, which is probably the closest thing to a knife in this pile of sports junk. I take a step back from the pile looking for someone to injure. People are running away from me in all directions. They must be scared of the weapon I brandish.

And then something infinitely hard and heavy slams into the side of my head catapulting with great force. My consciousness doesn't even last long enough for my body to collide with the hard wooden floor.

**The Point of View of Sakura Velvet**

Thistle and I are the first down from the platform. As soon as we hit the ground we run in the general direction of the forest. The sun is beating down on us in our full jumpsuits. We need to find fresh water and fast.

After an hour or so we reach the end of the sand dunes. Suddenly the desert transforms into a prosperous forest of pine. I don't know about the other Districts, but such a landscape doesn't exist in District 8. It looks artificial and manufactured, as if man made, how sharply the endless dunes turn into lush moist trees.

There must be water in here somewhere, even if it is ground water. The tree roots must be getting the water from somewhere. We move into the forest slowly, fully aware of any potential traps. Usually the Gamemakers will have some form of trick designed to kill the tributes. There doesn't appear to be any however. Just pine trees planted closely together so that it is difficult to walk between them without shielding your face from rouge branches. Deeper into the forest the trees get taller, and it is easier to walk between the trunks.

Nothing is moving except the odd animal that runs past. We can hear bird calls, but no rushing water. There must be a source somewhere around here, otherwise how would these animals survive?

**The Point of View of Barda Moss**

Oh wow, Jack has made it over to the other platform. I would follow her immediately, but for the fact the return trip would be impossible. Would Jack become hostile if I followed her? I doubt it; maybe we could be a team. I am just about to leave this disaster ground behind when I see her pick up a backpack from the pile over there and strap it to herself. She then does not hesitate in jumping from the platform. Insane! That is suicide! It is not until I see her parachute drifting off into the distance that I appreciate the genius.

I have to get over there! Taking a few steps back I run towards the gap between the platforms. With ease I manage to make the distance landing on the second smaller circular plywood platform. In the center of the platform there is a pile of identical backpacks. I pick one up and sift through it, pulling out vast amounts of florescent orange nylon.

Strangely another backpack rolls into the pile. I look up to see Sora standing on the first platform, with a boy behind her. He is just about to throw something.

"Duck," I exclaim.

She ducks and the baseball bat flies directly over where her head had been. I retrieve the bat as Sora runs at Flash deceiving him before turning and making a leap for my platform. She barely makes it. I reach out the bat for her and she takes it. Flash is not impressed. He has found himself a shot put and hurls it at us, but Sora blocks it with the baseball bat shattering it into smithereens. There is no way Flash can get across to us. We would kill him as soon as he landed. He is angrier than ever. I can tell he will be back soon with better weapons, and probably some friends. In the mean time let's sort out these parachutes.

**The Point of View of Flint Woods**

Jett falls bashing his head on the steel structure below before spinning out of control and landing in the sand. Soon after there is cannon fire and a hover craft materializes to remove his body. It serves him right for trying to kill Tasi. The climbing is easier now that we have made it from the 'I beam' to the main tower. It's more like a ladder. A girl falls from the platform above and hits the ground. There is another firing of the cannon, and the hovercraft returns.

Soon we are on the ground and walking away from the towers. The sun is beating down so we move into the massive shadow cast by the plywood structure above. Pixie and Sky are keen to head off by themselves towards the pine forest and Tasi wants to go with me to the ocean. We split up into two groups.

Tasi and I have been walking for about twenty minutes when I start to get anxious. Although he is big, Tasi is slow and is only going to hold me back. Plus I don't feel safe being close to him. With his sheer strength he could kill me in an instant. Just as we reach the top of a sand dune I make a run for it.

"Hey come back!" Tasi exclaims.

I won't be going back. I've made my decision. I run through the sand towards the ocean.

**The Point of View of Brooklyn Virgona**

How did I get stuck with this little kid Nero?

We are walking across the sand dunes in the full heat of the sun. I could run off and leave him here, but then I would have even more enemies. I might as well pretend to be on his side, and maybe ditch him in the night.

"So why did you volunteer for the Games?" Nero asks.

"I didn't. Why would anyone want to be part of the Hunger Games? It's a sadistic form of inter-District gladiatorial conflict. I would much rather be at home with my sister Taylor."

"So not one girl in your District wanted to volunteer in your place?"

"No way! Back in District 10 everyone hates the Capitol and the Games. Reaping day is dreaded by all."

"Weird."

Nero is such a vane little kid. He doesn't belong in the Games. He has pale blond hair with streaks of dark blond through it, that falls down to his shoulders in small curls. His eyes are dark green and he has very dark eyelashes that make him look like he is wearing mascara. His soft facial features and ectomorphic body shape make him look like a ten year old. He does not belong in these Games at all. What am I doing playing friends with him?

We continue to walk through the endless sand dunes towards the forest.

**The Point of View of Jett Wayland**

I am pretty confident I can handle the bloodbath but sadly there are just no weapons. The Careers are fighting Chesta and most of the other tributes are getting away by climbing over the edge of the platform. I follow a group of them which includes Tasi, Sky and Flint. It will be easy to kill them when they are hanging on to the underside of the platform for dear life.

I reach the edge of the plywood and slowly lower my legs over the edge and kick them around until I find a steel bolt to stand on. I then lower my body over the edge and hang on to either side of an 'I beam'. I am now hanging from my arms one hundred meters above the ground. From here I can see the steel support structures for both of the towers. The second tower is just as tall but a lot smaller. Both platforms are supported by an elaborate array of steel trusses similar to the big electricity pylons that carry electricity to our District.

I can see Tasi, Sky and Flint just ahead being guided by Pixie. She is such a good climber; I doubt I will be able to pull her down. Maybe I could pull down either Tasi or Sky. Tasi is heavy and is not suited to climbing, and climbing down this structure might be beyond Sky's ability.

Pixie is currently giving Sky verbal guidance on the next move from the 'I beam' to the main tower structure. It's probably the hardest move. After that you can just climb straight down the tower like a ladder. I monkey bar along an 'I beam' over to where Tasi is hanging and wrap my legs around him forcing him to carry my weight. We used to play this game at Primary school where we all hang from the jungle gym and try to pull each other off with our legs. Tasi is managing to hold on but he can't get me off and his grip will fail at some point. I just have to make sure mine doesn't fail first.

"Get off me!"

Pixie is climbing over to save Tasi. I pull down harder on him, but his forearms are muscular and strong. Suddenly someone is standing on my fingers and now kicking at them. I look up. It's Flint! I hang on for dear life. What have I got myself into? It's four on one. Flint kicks my hand forcing it off the beam and at the same time my other hand slips. I am now hanging by my legs which are wrapped around Tasi. Flint swings down and kicks me again in the face. I fall uncontrollably towards the sand below. Half way down I bash my head on the steel support structure.

**The Point of View of Kestrel Snarky **

I can't see any, but there must surely be a sickle, scythe or axe in that massive pile of weapons. All I can see from my starting position however is a BMX bike, unicycle and a high jump mat. What is this, some kind of circus?

The gong goes and I run forward as if my life depends on it. I then sift through random weapons as if my life depends on it. There is definitely no sickle in here, just a bunch of stupid rubbish like what you might find in a rich persons garage. Change of plan, let's get a backpack and get out of this death trap.

"Ahh," I scream out.

Something exceptionally hard and heavy has taken me out. My stomach is killing me. Can my sponsors please send me an ambulance? I am glued to the hard wooden floor. I stay as still as possible. Maybe they will think I'm already dead. It's hard to give off a convincing dead impersonation when you are writhing in pain. However everyone seems to be too preoccupied to worry about a little girl lying on the ground.

There is a killing spree going on around me, but I don't even dare to open my eyes. If I ran could I get away? Could I even run in this state? I decide to just do nothing, way easier.

**The Point of View of Julian Storm**

There is nowhere to run from the Cornucopia! It is hysteria. Some people are climbing over the edge of the platform but I think they will probably fall off and die. I'm going to stay on the platform. It's really quite large and it's easy to avoid people. Most of the action is happening in the middle. Chesta and the Careers are fighting. He has already taken down Thunnus and Celeste. I keep a watch on the action while making sure to avoid other escaping tributes.

Victoria seems to be doing the same thing. She is looking over the edge of the platform and then back at the bloodbath. Usually I would find it quite funny seeing a girl like her in a situation like this. I don't today, perhaps due to the fact that I am in the same situation. I run over to talk to her, to help her out. Maybe we can work together?

I guess not considering that she just tripped over the edge of the platform to her death. Am I really that bad a company? Four seconds later there is an ominous thud and in half a minute there is the unmistakable sound of cannon fire. Victoria is now safe from the stress of this situation. Should I do the same? I am tempted to, but something stops me. A deep down will to survive, to not be a quitter when times get tough. A few minutes later I am wishing I had just jumped under my own free will.

The remaining Careers; Fin, Flash, Diamond and Coral each have one of my limbs. I plead with them to let go of me, offering to jump myself but they remain steady and strong, holding me off the ground. My head is dangling over the edge of the platform and I can see the steel support structure and the sand one hundred meters down.

"Ok swing him back and forwards," Fin commands. "On the count of three."

They are now swinging me backwards and forwards.

"One, two, three."

I fly clean over the edge of the platform face first. Air rushes past my face as I accelerate to a great speed. This would be fun if I wasn't certainly going to die! My face hits the sand.

Thud.

**The Point of View of Thistle Kellik**

The woods are lovely, dark and deep. Sakura and I have escaped the Bloodbath together, climbed down a terrible tower and walked for an hour in a stinking hot desert. Now we just need some water. There are animals around this pine forest. We have spotted them. Therefore there must be a water source, but where is it?

We continue to walk cautiously into the forest. I remember seeing one version of the Games in which the forest was filled with mutated magpies that had been trained to attack anything that moved. The bird calls appear to be familiar though; similar to those we get back in District 12. Still I keep my eyes open, ever alert.

There is a sound to my left. I alert Sakura, but this gesture is redundant. She has heard it too. There is a great deal of rustling as if a pack of rhinoceroses are making their way through the trees towards us.

"Climb!" I exclaim.

Sakura does not hesitate. In seconds we are climbing through the branches of a pine tree. It is easy to climb, like a ladder really. I keep climbing until I am out of sight from the ground. Below us there is a pack of bores. They sniff around the trunk of our trees, ripping off all the bark at ground level using their sharp tusks. Sakura and I freeze staring at each other and keeping as still as possible. These bores can't climb trees can they? I wouldn't put it past the Gamemakers to train some mutations to climb trees, but I can't see how it could be physically possible with their crude legs.

I think we are safe for now, but still we have no fresh water.

**The Official list of Deaths:**

**Death #1: Linden Garder, **bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie, **stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland, **was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods, **strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm, **unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.


	14. Sora in Bloodbath Land

**The Point of View of Sora Painton**

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Sixty-ninth Hunger Games begin!" the presenter booms as my tube drops me down into the arena.

Standing there outside in the wind the enormity of the occasion suddenly hits me. Is this the final minute of my life? I start to feel faint as a mechanical voice counts down our final safe seconds.

"Forty eight, forty seven, forty six."

Of course I'd been forced to watch the Hunger Games annually for the past sixteen years and know them well. My mum had won the 56th Annual Hunger Games. That was before she went crazy and killed herself. Right now I feel her pain. I feel sick and sink to my knees to prevent myself from falling off of the platform. I feel like I am about to black out as I hear the voice count thirty.

"Twenty nine, twenty eight, twenty seven."

I shut my eyes tight, and dig my fingernails deep into my opposing forearm, squeezing as hard as I can. I take big slow breaths trying to coax oxygen back into my brain. I return my mind to the basics, trying to regain some calm.

You are Sora Painton. You are 15 years old. You have lost your mother and father and live with your grandmother Miri. You have two friends, Hunter and Kris. You are the female tribute from District 9. If you don't control your emotions soon you won't be at all.

There are five seconds remaining. My heart is pounding rapidly, but none of the blood seems to be reaching my brain. I look up for the first time, glimpsing the golden Cornucopia strewn with food, backpacks and weapons. There is a large black backpack directly between myself and the entrance of the horn.

"Three, two, one."

As the gong sounds I stand up and step forward uneasily from my platform taking in the arena for the first time. In shock my foot slips and I fall to the ground blacking out briefly.

There is a lot of screaming. I am on a hard wooden surface. I open my eyes focussing on the pain in my hands; splinters. Figures crash around in the background drawing my attention. I can see four other tributes also lying on the floor. Their blood stains the yellow plywood red. Tributes are sprinting around with all manner of weapons: Javelins, baseball bats. A man I recognise as Fin, a Career tribute from 2 is swinging a track and field hammer around like a mad man, displacing everything in a two meter radius. He lets it fly and it sails out of sight. This draws my attention to the arena itself.

The Cornucopia is situated on a large circular plywood platform. I am lying near my starting position close to the edge of the platform and forty meters from the centre of the Cornucopia. I turn and notice a second smaller circular platform with a pile of what must be twenty four identical florescent orange backpacks. There is a gap of around four meters between the platforms. No-one is paying much attention to me. They must all think I'm dead, or at least no threat to them. I crawl to the edge of the platform slowly and peer over the edge. Suddenly I wish I didn't. I start to feel dizzy again. The two platforms are held up at least one hundred meters in the air by two thin steel towers. Below is a beautiful flat island covered in lush green pine trees and surrounded by rocky cliffs and large expanses of sand dunes. In all directions the blue ocean stretches forever. Line after line of waves crash onto the shore. I back away, returning my attention to the bloodbath.

Fin is now running around with a javelin. He seems to have joined forces with the other Career tributes. Coral recklessly wields an ice axe, striking Chesta in the back. He grabs onto the weapon and they wrestle each other to the ground. Fin wastes no time stabbing the boy repeatedly in the back with his blood stained javelin. It's not sharp enough to pierce his skin but the boy screams in pain nevertheless. Several tributes are attempting to escape the fighting by climbing over the edge of the plywood platform and down the steel support structure underneath. They all seem to be avoiding me standing at the edge of the platform. Good. I'm aware however how easy it would be for any one of them to give me a neat little push, causing me to fall to my death. I need to get out of here and fast. I see the body of a girl tumbling towards the sand below and hear a thump as she hits the ground four seconds later.

I scuttle twenty meters towards the centre of the bloodshed and place my hands on the black backpack I had eyed up earlier. Coral is now experiencing the pain of having an ice axe pushed into her temple. Fin has his javelin pushed hard up against the throat of her attacker who is fighting for his life. Diamond is there too but I haven't seen Flash around. I sling the pack over one shoulder and run full speed towards the only remaining path to safety.

At the edge of the platform I stop. The backpack is heavy and I am not sure if I can make the four meter leap to the smaller platform. It doesn't help that both platforms are swaying erratically up to half a meter in the wind. The boy from my District, Barda, is already on the smaller platform. He is busy sifting through one of the fluorescent orange back packs. There appears to be a lot of coloured nylon in each pack. I swing my back pack from my shoulder and toss it over the gap and into his pile. He looks up in surprise.

"Duck."

I drop to the ground as fast as gravity will allow. Just in time. A baseball bat flies past my head brushing my left ear. I swivel around to see a look of disappointment on the face of Flash. I rush towards him pretending to have a concealed weapon in my right hand. Being alone and unarmed he steps backwards in surprise; fists up in defence. At the last moment I turn and sprint back towards the gap between the platforms. On my final stride I push off with all my might into a flying leap. This is going to be close. We used to do long jump at school and four meters is near my limit. As I fly I scream out as if appealing to the wind for help. I land on my bum at the edge of the smaller platform. Splinters rip through my pants and into my flesh. I grab out frantically to anything I can hold on to so as to prevent myself from falling backwards. My right hand manages to grasp the end of a baseball bat and I pull myself forward onto the safety of the platform. Barda is on the other end of the baseball bat.

"Thank's for helping me!"

Cannon fire is heard in the distance. Barda remains silent. He relinquishes his grip on the bat and looks behind me across the gap. On the other platform Flash has found himself a shot-put. He runs up to the edge of the platform before putting it at Barda in a demonstration of extreme power. As the hard metal sphere flies past me at waist height I swing the bat at it as hard as I can. There is a loud explosion as the ball hits the face of my bat shattering it. The handle vibrates in my hands, sending pain through my fingers causing them to freeze. Jagged broken shards of bat fall to the ground near my feet along with the shot-put. I am now essentially holding a wooden dagger.

"Great work!" Barda says smiling. "You hold Flash, while I inspect these parachutes."

"Yup"

I keep my eyes staring directly at Flash. I hadn't realised those backpacks were actually some kind of B.A.S.E. jumping equipment. Flash looks back at me furiously. I poke my tongue out at him mischievously. We both know that if he tries to jump across to attack me I will stab him to death before his feet even make contact with the parachute platform.

"We kill you next!" exclaims Flash.

A cannon fires again in the distance. The boy turns and runs back to the centre of the Cornucopia, which is now devoid of action. Fin and Coral appear to have finished strangling their victim and are now picking through the best of the items inside the mouth of the horn. Another Career tribute has joined them. It's a girl so most likely it's Diamond. There are five motionless bodies entangled amongst the items of the Cornucopia.

"Hey Sora."

As I turn around Barda throws me an orange backpack.

"Use this as a shield."

I put the bag over my left shoulder holding it in front of my heart. I can see Fin talking to Flash. Although they are fifty meters away I notice Fin swinging an ice axe backwards and forwards as he talks. I can't hear what they are saying so I busy myself preparing for their arrival. I place the shot-put near the edge of the platform and use its weight to hold up two of the sharp baseball bat shards. This way anyone trying to jump over to our side is sure to land awkwardly, ideally breaking their leg and falling backwards to their death. I keep my wooden dagger held tightly in my left hand. Whilst keeping a close eye on our enemy I call out for Barda's help. He comes to my side. A flouro back pack is strapped tightly to his back with a small bunch of black nylon hanging freely from it. He straps an identical backpack to my body, wrapping his arms around my waist and shoulders to do up the buckles.

"Chuck this in the air as soon as you jump," explains Barda gesturing to the bundle of black nylon. "It's called a pilot chute. Its drag force will open your main chute."

"I'm not going to jump!"

"I hope we don't need to but just in case."

"I don't know if we can hold them off," I exclaim, pointing to Fin who has now connected the ice axe to the end of a fishing line and is practicing swinging the fishing rod around. "They could conceivably have any weapon imaginable in that pile. We don't even have any food."

"Yeah we do," Barda says pulling out the contents of my black backpack. "We have a loaf of bread here and some crackers."

There is also twenty meters of rope, a karabiner, a meter square sheet of plastic, a sleeping bag, an empty flask with iodine tablets and a box of matches. I open up the box of matches and strike one producing a yellow flame. I then use some of the smaller splinters from the broken bat as kindling starting a fire on the edge of the platform. I look to Barda who nods in agreement. Barda collects up all the items repacking them into the backpack before jamming in two spare parachutes. He then takes a flaming shard of bat and begins to carefully melt away the strings attached to the main parachutes inside the auxiliary backpacks, packing them away neatly afterwards.

Strangely over at the Cornucopia there are now five Career tributes and only four dead bodies. The Careers are still picking through the items. Evidently they've decided that trying to hit us with an ice axe attached to fishing line may result in the loss of a perfectly good ice axe. I can't see the weapons that they have picked out now for us as their backs are turned.

Now that the edge of the plywood has caught fire I start to build lines of fire along the edges of the plywood sheet nearest to the Cornucopia. The plywood is attached along its edges to the steel support structure below using screws. If enough of the wood can be burned away the piece of plywood might be removed completely. It will take time though.

"Stop it Barda, they are coming" I warn suddenly.

Barda looks up seeing what I see. The career tributes are walking over again to fight us. Barda quickly stuffs the parachute back into its bag and tosses the flaming stick over the edge of the platform.

"Celeste has a spear gun," Barda whispers.

The girl from District 4 does indeed have a diver's spear gun slung over her shoulder. She is also standing up on the peddles of a BMX bike trying to keep balanced at walking pace. Fin is holding the ice axe, Flash has found himself a golf club and Coral is swinging around a hockey stick. They are about thirty meters away now. Frantically Barda grabs the shot put and launches it into the edges of the plywood crushing the charred wood around the screws. It's no good though, we need more time.

"So apparently you're the next to die," says Fin who seems to be the ring leader.

"How are you going to manage that?" I ask brandishing my wooden dagger in front of me in what I hope looks like a menacing manner. Barda is holding up the shot-put.

Celeste dismounts from her bike and loads the diver's spear gun aiming it at me. I take three steps backwards.

"Try to grab the spear," Barda whispers so only I can hear.

Celeste takes aim at my chest and fires. I immediately step backwards and to the side causing the spear to fly past me harmlessly. Quickly I run backwards and pull hard on the spear. Barda wraps his arms around me contributing his own weight and momentum. It is all too much for Celeste who tries to hold on to the spear gun but finds herself being dragged over the edge of the platform. At the last moment she lets go but her momentum is too great. As a last ditch effort she dives for the parachute platform falling much too short, landing against the edge on her chest. Here she grabs at the plywood for dear life, managing to hang on miraculously. She struggles to pull herself up onto our side but Barda puts an end to such efforts by stamping on her face. She is left hanging by her hands. Barda then stands on her fingers. At this point she starts to scream uncontrollably prompting Fin to throw the ice axe at Barda's chest. Barda partially manages to avoid the axe, taking the impact on the arm, causing a deep wound. Blood starts to pour out of the gash. Barda is hit again with a hockey stick and a golf club. Both impacts hit him square in the chest causing him to cry out. In rage he jumps up and down on Celeste's fingers but still she won't let go. She screams out hysterically, dangling from her bleeding fingers, one hundred meters in the air. In the commotion one of the motionless bodies by the Cornucopia suddenly gets up and sprints away. Fin has now picked up the bike and is spinning around with it like it's a kid's toy. Barda picks up the shot-put and crouches down over our fire to pound Celeste's fingers into the plywood. Each finger is broken one by one until she relinquishes her grip. Just as she begins to fall to her death Barda is hit in the face with BMX bike and falls backwards in extreme pain. As we hear Celeste's final scream culminate in a deathly thud I drag Barda to the far end of the platform where he losses consciousness. I snuff out a fire that had caught on his sleeve.

The cannon begins to fire repeatedly. I count the sounds in my head. There are four load blasts. A hover craft appears to pick up the bodies from the earlier blood bath. There are three of them. Somewhere below another hover craft must be removing Celeste's lifeless body from the sand. Her remains will be transported in a box back to District 4.

Suddenly I feel sad for her loss of life and curse the Capitol, and its ways. I feel responsible for her death. If I had just held on to the spear and not pulled on it we would have reached a stalemate and she would still be alive. Hiding these emotions I step forward again to face the Career tributes. I have a spear gun in one hand and a wooden dagger in the other. No one wants to risk jumping over to attack me now.

"We will come and get you tonight!" Fin promises through clenched teeth, as the four of them turn and walk away. "You have to sleep sometime."

**The Official List of Deaths**

**Death #1: Linden Garder, **bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie, **stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland, **was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods, **strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm, **unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.

**Death #7: Celeste Hale**, whilst dangling precariously from the edge of the parachute platform, Celeste had her grip broken by Barda causing her to fall to her death.


	15. Crash, Bash it's Flash

**The Point of View of Flash Aurum**

We walk back to the Cornucopia, cursing to each other. Occasionally I glance over my shoulder expecting retaliation from Sora. It doesn't come. She is more concerned about her boyfriend it would seem. Hopefully he is dying.

"Should we go back there and get them? Try finish the boy?"

"Wait till night time," Fin orders. "We'll catch them napping."

I fall silent again, fuming. A life of training has not prepared me for this. I can see commander Fearce shouting at us about working as a team. Celeste replaces the commander in my mind's eye. She's yelling at me. I shake my head erasing her from my vision. If Fin, Diamond or Coral perceive any weakness in me, that will be the end. They will do away with me at the first opportunity. I must stick to my strict training.

We reach the centre of the Cornucopia and continue to pick through the pile. Although we had already done this, there are still new and useful items being uncovered. The Gamemakers have really been generous this year as there is plenty food. Having studied all the previous Games, I am certain that this is to compensate for the lack of food and water in the arena. There are also many first aid backpacks. None of these contain a cure for the injuries sustained from a hundred meter fall though. We still haven't been able to uncover any decent ranged weaponry. All the weapons appear to be sports equipment; some innovation is necessary it would seem.

Diamond is laying out each of the items classifying them into groups. We have plenty of space on the eighty meter diameter plywood circle that is the main platform. If we play our cards right we might be able to stay up here for the whole Games. The other tributes will be drawn here for food, water and medical supplies. I begin to help Coral out by rounding up a dozen golf balls and putting them in the consumable ammo pile. She is always so neat and organized the way she sticks to the textbook Career's procedure. Fin has found himself a Go-kart. After giving it a test run at break neck speed around the platform he is now underneath it taking it apart to siphon off some petrol.

"So what do we know they have?" asks Diamond, breaking the silence. "I wish I had a pen and paper!"

Fin ignores her. He is busy concentrating on not poisoning himself.

"Flash?" she asks me.

"Um. Well we know they at least have a broken baseball bat, shot-put, golf club, hockey stick, ice axe, spear gun and a BMX bike, cause we gave them ourselves."

Fin snarls angrily. Evidently he was actually listening. "Never again! From now on we are more cunning. We are Career tributes after all, the best in our academies."

"Yeah we have to be clinical and use the techniques we learned in the academy," Diamond says. "So what else do they have? I saw they had a backpack like this one."

She holds up one of the dozen or so identical black backpacks in a pile before placing its contents onto the ground. It contains a flask, box of matches, a square meter of plastic, some bread, crackers, a rope and karabiner and a sleeping bag.

"So they have some food and shelter but no water or medicine. What's in those flouro orange backpacks?"

"No idea. Maybe parachutes?"

"We'll have to find out."

We continue to categorize the items. There are soccer, rugby and grid iron balls, and squash, badminton and tennis rackets. I find a dart which I pocket and shin guards, a chest plate and an ice hockey helmet with face visor which I put on. At the bottom of the pile is a four by two meter high jump mat and a mini trampoline. Coral smashes a golf ball with a tennis racket. It flies over the top of the smaller platform and sails out of sight. This breaks the strings on the racket and we laugh. I pick up the rugby ball and punt it. It bounces once in an odd direction before disappearing from sight. Just then a face appears at the edge of the platform for the briefest of moments before disappearing immediately. I couldn't tell if it were a boy or a girl, but they had blonde hair.

"Hey look at this!" exclaims Coral, regaining my attention.

Jammed underneath the high jump mat is an archery bow and quiver of arrows. Coral lifts these out in excitement and runs over to show Fin. He puts his arms around her, a look of delight on his face. After the embrace Fin comes away with the bow. He loads an arrow and pulls the string right back showing immense strength. The arrow buries itself deep into the plywood floor so far that Fin can't pull it back out. Only the plastic fletching remains above the platform. We all laugh excitedly as Fin jumps around trying with all his might to yank the arrow out. He ends up ripping the fletching off, effectively destroying the arrow.

"Thought we were going to be more careful with our resources, Fin," I tease.

"Just doing some useful research into the capabilities of this bow," counters Fin. "This could easily take down a person at forty meters."

All three of us have large smiles on our faces. We undoubtedly have the most powerful ranged weapon on our side. To add to the success, Fin has managed to siphon a flask of petrol from the tank of the Go-cart and Coral has found three pairs of night glasses. The two on the smaller platform are in for some real trouble tonight. I can't wait.

It is late afternoon and the orange of the setting sun casts long shadow across the plywood platform. I look over to the smaller platform. The boy and the girl are huddled together as far away from us as possible. They appear to both be conscious and talking animatedly while they sit together inside a single sleeping bag. I wonder smugly what inferior plans they are devising. There is no way they could be as good as ours.

Fin and I drag the high jump mat deep inside the golden horn along with all of the food and backpacks. We might not need twelve first aid backpacks and thirty flasks of water but we certainly aren't going to let anyone else have them. The three of us end up lying in our warm sleeping bags on the high jump mat which is now covered in twenty three loafs of bread and plenty of vegetables, dried meat and crackers. We each sip water from a flask and talk, waiting excitedly for night time. They lied to us in the academy; the Hunger Games are really just one big party.

"As soon as the gong sounded I went straight for that hammer. Back at the academy I could throw the hammer forty eight and a half meters, which was best in the District. I swung it around randomly hitting people."

"Yeah I noticed man you almost hit me in the head. Lucky I ducked."

"Haha, yeah, I was trying to hit people's heads but I lost control and had to let go. I at least knocked out one little girl."

"Yeah I saw that. It must have killed her. Her body was taken away by the hover craft hours later with the rest of them."

"Would have tried to hold on to that hammer a bit longer if I had known how lame all the other weapons were. One of the tributes on the ground has probably found it by now, not that it matters, they're all too weak to be able to do any damage with it."

"Hey, me and Coral found pretty deadly weapons too!"

"Yeah I had that ice axe and Flash had the baseball bat."

"Yeah but you guys couldn't even kill anyone with them!"

"That big guy from 5 would have killed you with that shot-put if I hadn't ripped it from him," I say gesturing to Coral. "He had already knocked out both the Career tributes from 4 when they tried to gang bash him at the start. It must have been their team strategy."

"Serves them right for keeping secrets from the rest of the Careers. We were meant to have a pact after all. They weren't much help to us knocked out on the floor. We should have gotten rid of them when we could. There is only one victor after all."

I hide all of my emotions. Coral doesn't seem overly impressed, but it is true what Fin says.

"Has anyone checked up on Thunnus lately, he might have actually woken up."

"Let's just forget about him," Fin says. "He is no use to us, and if he doesn't wake from his coma in a few days what can we do anyway? If we try to give him water he will just drown. Both of them would have certainly died in the Bloodbath without us." "But anyway. That guy Chesta from 5 was a monster. I read on the stats sheet he's 18 years old, 200 centimeters and 125 kgs. Looked bigger than that though when we were fighting him. Apparently his dad was a giant and decided to train his boy to be a tribute, so he's pretty much a Career like us. Wonder what he did in training to get an 11. I chucked a spear right through a dummy's heart and they only gave me a 9."

"The Gamemakers probably realized there wouldn't be any spears in the arena."

"Yeah, that javelin I had was pretty much a spear. I was using it like one, but the tip just isn't sharp enough. It wasn't even piercing through Chesta's shirt. Had to choke him with it instead."

"I helped!" exclaims Coral.

"Haha, yeah if by help you mean you gave him an ice axe!" Fin scoffs.

"Hey I distracted him by letting him cut open my face!" jokes Coral. "Which by the way still fricken hurts. Do you think there are any pain killers in the first aid kit?"

"Yeah I saw some lying between the hand held rocket launcher and the invisibility cloak. Seriously Coral! And you call yourself a Hunger Games scholar?"

"Yeah in class we were taught that those kits are really just to prevent people from dying boring deaths," Coral says for the benefit of me and Diamond.

"Yeah I know. They just want a good show and one victor to parade around," I say.

"Well they will definitely get a good show tonight," Fin says in a muffled voice, his mouth full of bread.

"Do you think they are watching us now?"

"Yeah of course. There's definitely a camera in here. None of the other tributes are of much interest. They are probably all just sitting up pine trees freezing to death."

Diamond pretends to brush her hair backwards in a sexy manner for the cameras. In the process she accidentally drops her second loaf of bread on the floor. It's got dirt on it so she throws it out the entrance of the horn.

"Why'd you do that?" says Fin interrogating her playfully. "Trying to look cool for the cameras? Go get it!"

"Nah"

"The audience is going to see what you look like in a sleep deprived, make up free state soon enough. In twenty days you're going to wish you had that bread."

"You wish. I look great without makeup first thing in the morning. Plus in twenty days time I'll be preparing for my Victory Tour."

My attention starts to drift away from the Fin's jokes, and back to Celeste. I grind a strip of dried meat between my teeth. How can the Capitol seriously believe that causing such tragedy every year will reduce the chance of a revolution? No, they must surely expect blowback. Revenge. President Snow is not acting in the interests of his people but for his own sick pleasures. He has too much power. When I get home I promise I will start a rebellion against the Capitol. Celeste would have agreed.

"Hey Flash. Did you know I killed four people today."

"Great."

"I was the only one who killed in the initial Bloodbath. Wonder what my odds are on winning this thing."

I don't respond. Somewhere overhead the anthem begins to play. We all run out of the horn and look to the sky to see the seal of the Capitol. The sun has gone completely leaving the arena pitch black. The song finishes and logo fades to black before being replaced a moment later by a headshot of Celeste. She is smiling down on us. It is kind of chilling to think that she is now dead.

The screen is now showing Chesta Edward's headshot. He glares down on us hauntingly. Even in death he is still scary.

"He was probably my closest competitor. Lucky I killed him when I did."

His picture is replaced by that of a little boy called Foy Antrie who came from District 6.

"I stabbed that guy," comments Fin. "He must have bled to death. He was pretty stupid, just standing in the middle not paying any attention. It was natural selection really."

Next is a girl called Victoria Mernet also from District 6.

"I have no idea what happened to her."

Next is the boy from District 8, Linden Garder.

"I killed him too. I completely smashed him in the head with that track and field hammer. "

Jett Wayland from District 11 is next.

"He must have fallen off while climbing down. I swear I didn't even lay a finger on him."

The last face is that of Julian Storm.

"I killed him too."

"Yeah same," Diamon laughs. "That kid was mixed up. When we were throwing over the edge he was pleading for us to let him jump by himself."

"What's the difference, he probably would have just run away."

The sky now goes black again.

"Hmm, that's weird. That girl I hit with the hammer wasn't there. She must have been faking it. Ah well, I'm still well ahead. You guys are lucky to have me on your side you know. Ok let's go kill some more people. I'll show you how to do it."

Fin starts to walk over to the smaller platform.

"Coral, can you grab me that fishing rod and a tennis ball?"

She does as she is told passing them to Fin. He then ties half a loaf of bread to the end of the fishing line.

"What are you going to try catch one of them? I don't think they're that dumb."

"Shh," Fin laughs. "The bread is just to add weight. Can't cast it otherwise."

There is no sign of the other tributes when we approach the smaller platform. All that can be seen is a pile of flouro orange backpacks.

"They must have gone already," Coral says.

"Maybe," concedes Fin. "But if it were me I would be hiding under that pile of backpacks peaking out between a gap at us. Either way, if I see them I'll drop this rod and take them both out with arrows to the head."

"Why don't you just give me the bow? I can shoot," I say in dismay.

"Fine. I'll let you get some points."

Fin casts the fishing line out over the pile of backpacks and slowly tugs on to it trying to make it catch. The hook wedges itself into the strap of one of the bags. Fin slowly pulls the bag out of the pile and drags it to the edge of the platform. He then quietly and carefully reels in the line so that the bag is dangling in mid air then lowers it onto our platform. There is no movement on the smaller platform. Coral grabs the bag and pulls out the parachute inspecting it.

"Told you it's parachutes," Fin whispers. "Ok let's get three of them, and burn the rest."

Fin repeats his efforts obtaining two more parachutes before pulling out a box of matches and his flask of petrol.

"Let's see if they're at home after all."

"Why don't we just jump over there and kill them?" Coral asks.

"OK deal. You can go do that as long as you chuck me back the bow afterwards." Fin snickers sarcastically. "There's no way you can make the jump back off only a four step run up, and it's a long way to climb down."

Coral is silent.

Fin removes the bread and chucks it behind us before standing on the fish hook jamming it right through the rubber surface of the tennis ball. He then saturates the ball with petrol and strikes a match.

A cannon fires in the distance. We all look around confused. Everything is still.

"What the…? I swear that wasn't me!"

"Must be something going on down there."

Fin shrugs, "probably just one of the kids fallen out of a tree."

He strikes another match, illuminating his hands with a yellow glow. The tennis ball soon burns with a small consistent flame emitting black smoke. Fin casts it onto the pile of backpacks where it burns slowly melting the nylon parachute inside a backpack. The fire looks like it is going to go out. Obviously insulted by this lack of entertainment Fin takes the lid off the petrol flask and tosses it onto the pile. It leaks its contents everywhere and the vapor bursts into flame.

"That's better."

Suddenly the previously dull platform is alive with colour, heat and activity. A boy with a backpack rolls from the flaming pile and continues right over the edge of the platform. I am too slow to get a shot at him as he tumbles out of sight. Fin rips the bow off of me, training it on the pile. A girl with two backpacks strapped to her emerges on fire and stands near the edge of the platform hitting at the flames.

"Too easy," Fin sniggers lining up his shot.

Simultaneously he lets fire and the girl dives forward over the edge, her arms outspread. The arrow hits her square in the thigh and sticks deep into her flesh. Her flames go out as she accelerates downwards throwing her pilot chute upwards. It catches, opening the main chute which immediately fills with air. Fin loads a second arrow firing it wildly into the darkness. It's too late, they are gone.

A minute later there is a single blast from a cannon.

**The Official list of Deaths:**

**Death #1: Linden Garder, **bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie, **stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland, **was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods, **strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm, **unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.

**Death #7: Celeste Hale, **whilst dangling precariously from the edge of the parachute platform, Celeste had her grip broken by Barda causing her to fall to her death.

**Death #8:** **Flint wood**, attacked by a pack of mutated bores and was mauled to death over the course of an hour.

**Death #9: Barda Moss**, died as the result of a failed B.A.S.E. jump attempt. He was rotating too fast when he deployed his parachute and it tangled around him failing to open.


	16. Fire in the Sky

**The Point of View of Skylar Clouds**

It's freezing in this pine, way too cold to sleep. I should have risked it with Pixie, I could have watched her back. The problem is that I just can't climb like her. I barely avoided falling whilst climbing away from the bloodbath. However with her snooping around in the dark and two cannon firings I'm left with only one possible conclusion: She must have been caught.

I hug my arms and legs tightly around the trunk of the pine, crying and shivering. She was going to get food and water for us and now she's dead. It's been two hours but still one of the platforms is burning bright yellow and orange, contrasting against the pitch black sky. What is going on up there? Did Pixie set the platform on fire? I continue to sit here on this branch waiting for her to return. She should have been here by now. I am tempted to climb back down the tree, to run out of the forest and climb the platforms looking for her but I know Pixie wouldn't want this. Anyway it's far too dangerous considering the muttations.

I only really first met Pixie while we were climbing down the platform. She helped me and Tasi get through some of the difficult parts of the climb. From then on we have been working together. We started off walking over the sand dunes, however we soon noticed a boy tracking us. He was trying to catch up so we ran for the pine forest to take cover. The boy followed us into the forest but walked right underneath our hiding spot in one of the trees.

Ten minutes later we saw them for the first time, a pack of mutated brown boars. Unlike usual wild pigs these muttations hunt in large packs and have carnivorous tusks that extend up to six inches. A pack of around fifty boars must have smelled us out as they converged on our hiding place and attacked the base of our tree with their large tusks. They managed to strip all of the bark from around the bottom of the tree as we sat here not knowing if they would ever let us come down. However, after about half an hour the boars were drawn off in another direction. Probably they smelt another tribute to attack. Since then I have been sitting in this tree, too afraid to go back down to the ground.

Suddenly I hear rustling in the trees to my left. The forest is so tightly packed with pines that the branches of neighbouring trees intertwine. Someone is climbing towards me from tree to tree. I sit up straight alert, staring hard through the trees at the approaching person. It is dark but my eyes have adjusted to the moonlight allowing me to make out the movement of branches. I have no weapons to defend myself, and I can't climb down. I am utterly defenceless! A soft whisper alleviates my consternation.

"Sky? Sky is that you?"

It's Pixie.

"Yeah," I reply.

As Pixie approaches I realise she has company. Soon there are four of us in the tree: Pixie, Nero, Brooklyn and I. It's too dark to make out the features but I can tell that the boy Nero is young. It turns out that Pixie must have just found them moments earlier hiding in the forest. She had warned them about the muttations and convinced them to join her in the trees. All three of my allies have identical black backpacks. I notice that Nero and Brooklyn have a hockey stick and golf club sticking out of the top zips of their respective bags.

"Anyway, we have to go Sky, its urgent! Bring your first aid pack. There's a girl who's hurt."

I grab the first aid pack from a branch and throw it over my shoulder. Pixie leads the way as we climb through the branches from tree to tree. After five minutes we reach the girl. She is hanging from a parachute that is tangled in a tree and is unable to move. Her name is Sora and she has an arrow sticking deep into her thigh. Brooklyn tries to release the parachute from the tree, but it is utterly entwined. The jerking movements cause Sora to scream in pain. None of us know what to do about an arrow wound.

Should we pull the arrow out? Pixie gives Nero a pair of night glasses that she has scavenged. Apparently he is a bit of a biology wiz kid. He searches through the first aid pack trying to find something of use.

"There is a small container of antiseptic cream, a roll of adhesive bandages, a small pocket knife, dressings, a haemostatic agent, soap, lighter and saline solution. Sora's leg does not appear to be bleeding but if we pull the arrow out there is sure to be internal damage and bleeding. We need to elevate her leg to reduce the hydrostatic component of her blood pressure. Also we need to apply pressure before the wound so as to provide resistance to the flow of blood to her leg. How long have you been here, Sora?" Nero asks.

"Since the fire," she whimpers sullenly. "Maybe three hours?"

"Can we get some warm clothing over here?" I say. "Well it's lucky you haven't bled or frozen to death."

"The arrow is holding back the bleeding for now so we better leave it in there a bit longer to be sure the blood has clotted," Nero says. "I have a haemostatic agent here to stop the bleeding and promote clotting but it requires direct application to the wound which will require the arrow to be removed."

"First we need to free her from this parachute and warm her up. You must be freezing Sora!"

Nero, Brooklyn and I hold on to Sora keeping her legs still while Pixie climbs above snipping through the parachute strings. We lower Sora down onto a safe branch while Pixie climbs above collecting the parachute to wrap around her. Using the scissors on the pocketknife I cut the fabric of her jumpsuit away from around the arrow uncovering the wound. The arrow has penetrated deep into her leg producing a swollen red region on her pale goose bump covered skin.

"The entry wound is small and fits tightly around the shaft indicating that the arrow lacks a jagged head," says Nero. "It should be safe to pull the arrow out the same way it entered as long as the ensuing bleeding can be contained. That is assuming Sora can handle the pain."

I lift Sora's leg up placing it on a branch so that the wound is elevated above her heart. This coaxes another scream of pain. She looks in bad shape but still conscious. I contemplate trying to constrict the leg to prevent blood flow however there are not sufficient resources available. Plus, I don't know that it won't cause even more pain and damage to the leg.

"Do we have any food or water?"

"Yeah I found some up on the platform."

Pixie pulls from her backpack a flask of water and several strips of dried beef. I hand them to Sora who eats them and accepts the water as I hold the flask to her mouth. With rest, food, water and warmth her condition will soon improve.

"So what's going on out there Pixie?" I ask.

"Well I managed to climb back up the main platform without being seen. The Careers have taken all the supplies in to the horn where they are staying. There are four of them left: two boys and two girls. Most of the weapons are still in a pile outside. I overheard one of them saying that they plan to stay there hoarding all the resources until we are forced back due to hunger and thirst. I think one of the male Careers might have seen me at one point. I managed to scavenge a backpack, night glasses, some bread that was tossed away and that flask of water. I could have grabbed a weapon but none of them looked very useful. Much of the time I was sitting outside the horn listening to the Careers jabbering on about how many people they had killed. When the anthem started playing I quickly climbed back over the edge and hid underneath the platform. I saw the Careers fishing for the backpacks on the other platform. They got three of them, but I didn't realise what was coming next. I didn't even know that you were there Sora, otherwise I would have tried to stop them."

"Its OK," Sora whispers. "We didn't realize either."

"The Careers caught fire to the smaller platform and a boy rolled out from underneath a pile of backpacks and right over the edge. Through the night glasses I watched as he rolled in the air trying to release his parachute. He managed to get the main chute out but it wrapped around him and he wasn't able to untangle it before he hit the sand. He must have died on impact as the cannon sounded soon after. Next I saw you Sora jump from the platform while on fire and with an arrow sticking out of your leg. You were more successful in deploying your parachute. You managed to get the main chute open almost too quickly and Fin the leader of the Careers was almost able to get a second shot at you. The last I saw of you was your chute drifting off towards the forest. After you left I overheard the lead Career complaining about not being able to kill the boy too. Seems they are going to sleep in the horn until morning. I'm not sure if they set a watch. After that I climbed back down from the platform and found my way back to the forest where I met Brooklyn and Nero."

"Does anyone know who the other cannon tonight was for?" I ask.

It's Brooklyn's turn to respond.

"We do. We saw it happen. One of the other tributes, a boy, was killed by those mutated pigs. I think his name was Flint. He was following us in the forest so we let him catch up. He was a nice boy, told us about the seafood he had found off the rocks. Then the muttations came and all three of us split in different directions. The boars seem to be genetically programmed to only hunt in a large pack, and they decided to follow Flint. It could have just as easily been any of us. Nero and I met back up and ran away from Flint's screams. The boars were ramming their tusks into him while he lay on the ground. It was painful to just leave him, but he was dead for all money, there was nothing we could do against fifty of the creatures. We jogged for over an hour away from the muttations and that's when we met Pixie."

"So that's nine of the tributes dead inside the first twenty-four hours. The Gamemakers will be happy. There's been plenty of action too."

I look up and notice that Sora is crying.

"Are you alright? Is your leg hurting again?" I exclaim.

She shakes her head. Her mind is far away and she remains silent, crying. Suddenly I understand. She had just had it confirmed that her friend Barda had died. He was from District 9 also. I leave her to cry.

The horrific nature of these Games have suddenly become ever more clear to me. I hate the Gamemakers, the Capitol, all the bloodthirsty people watching eagerly for the next dramatic turn of events, but there is nothing we can do. Nothing, but try to survive and the only way we can do that is by playing smart.

"I say we ambush the Careers tonight," I say. "We need to be proactive and cut them off from their supplies otherwise they will have no trouble killing us."

Everyone looks at me.

"But we are all so tired and Sora can't walk," Brooklyn points out. "We can't just leave her here; she will starve."

"Up this tree is probably one of the safest places in the arena. We will leave her two loafs of bread and the flask of water. That should be enough for at least three days if she stays still and warm."

"But what if another tribute comes by? They will kill her for sure."

"What if another tribute came now? We would all be killed. We need to get some supplies, some more weapons. It would just be shooting practice if Fin and his Careers were to walk into us right now."

Someone taps me on the shoulder. I look around. Its Sora. She's pointing to her black backpack.

"In there."

I open it up and rummage through it, careful not to drop any of the items. There are two smaller parachute backpacks along with the usual items. There is also a spear gun and an ice axe. I hold these last two weapons out for the group to see.

"We officially have some weapons. Now all we need is a plan."

"I say we try to heal Sora first. She has so kindly given us these items after all," Brooklyn states sympathetically.

"The blood should have clotted sufficiently by now," Nero says. "How about we get that arrow out and clean the wound before it gets infected."

We all agree. It will have to be done fast though, considering there are only so many hours of darkness remaining. Nero has the saline solution, the antiseptic, and the haemostatic cream out with the lids off ready to go. Sora is understandably apprehensive, but she is also not so keen on dying of infection. Pixie and I hold her leg still while Brooklyn pulls slowly on the arrow. Sora screams in agony before the arrow has even budged. I'm starting to wonder whether this is a good idea after all. Will her body handle the pain? But there is no choice really. The only way the wound can heal enough for her to continue in the games is if we get some medicine on to the wound soon.

"Slow or fast?" Brooklyn asks.

"Neither… Argh OK fast."

Sora bites hard on her lip and squeezes her fist in to a ball.

"3, 2."

On the count of two Brooklyn pulls hard on the arrow ripping it from the wound. The tip is covered in blood. Sora shrieks in agony. It's a long loud scream the type that is sure to turn any tribute in their tracks and convince them to run away from its source. I focus my attention on the task at hand. I grab on to her leg finding the small deep wound that is now starting to bleed. First I splash saline solution on it, cleaning the surrounding area. I then try to pour some into the wound. When the salty solution is inside the wound Sora screams even louder thrashing her legs around. Nero and Pixie grab hold of her leg keeping it still while I pour more of the saline solution and move on to the antiseptic cream. I put a generous amount of the cream on my forefinger and insert it gently in to the wound. I rotate my finger slightly and remove it. Sora is not impressed. Finally I pull out the haemostatic agent which is also in a small jar. There is not much bleeding and I doubt that she could bleed to death but it's better to be safe than sorry. I put a generous amount of this cream on my finger and push some of it in the wound. Sora sounds like she will pass out if I try for much more so I stop and start unpeeling some adhesive bandage. Using the pocket knife a rip the hole in her jumpsuit pants all the way around the leg so that I can wrap the bandage around. She is trying to get a punch at me but the other three are holding her down. I wrap the whole adhesive tape firmly around her leg five times and it's done. Sora is still screaming in pain and trying to physically harm me with her fists but she is held firmly unable to move.

"Stay still," I plead with her. "It will dim the pain."

She obviously doesn't agree as she kicks out at my head with her sore leg. Well at least she's alive and kicking.

After ten minutes Sora calms down. Nero, Brooklyn and Pixie let her go and she sits still glaring at me keeping her leg elevated.

"So what's the plan?" Pixie asks. "We'll need to get going soon."

"How about you stay here and look after Sora," Brooklyn says gesturing to me. "Me, Nero and Pixie are better at climbing. We'll leave you most of the food and the spear gun."

"But what about the plan!"

"We'll think of it on the way."

I look at Sora, holding the spear gun out in front of me. She glares back at me.

"Don't worry your wound will be starting to heal. Maybe in a few days you will be able to walk down to the beach and heal your wound in the water. I'll take the spear gun and try to catch some fish around the rocks."

"I wish I had fallen to my death," Sora replies, still glaring at me.

Brooklyn, Nero and Pixie are packed up and ready to go. They say goodbye and start to head off when I stop them.

"Hey! One second."

I sift through the first aid pack and find the lighter, handing it over.

**The Official list of Deaths:**

**Death #1: Linden Garder,**bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie,**stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland,**was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods,**strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm,**unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.

**Death #7: Celeste Hale,**whilst dangling precariously from the edge of the parachute platform, Celeste had her grip broken by Barda causing her to fall to her death.

**Death #8:** **Flint wood**, attacked by a pack of mutated boars and was mauled to death over the course of an hour.

**Death #9: Barda Moss**, died as the result of a failed B.A.S.E. jump attempt. He was rotating too fast when he deployed his parachute and it tangled around him failing to open.


	17. Tied up Fin Lay

**The Point of View of Fin Lay**

"Hey! Wake-up"

Flash is shaking me awake. I resist pushing snooze with my bow and arrow. We are running out of Careers as it is. Plus it is the hunger games, it could important. Better be. I force my eyes open painfully.

"What the hell! It's still night."

"We have visitors."

I sit up pulling on my night glasses and reach over for an arrow. After pulling Coral's arms from around my waist I roll off the mat and walk drowsily to the entrance of the horn. Flash is there talking to two girls.

"What's wrong Flash, less talking more killing, this is why you still haven't killed anyone yet, or are you going to count Celeste as one because you failed to save her?"

Ok probably a bit harsh, although he did just wake me in the middle of the night for practically no reason. Still, I don't want him to be too angry; it might convince him to try killing me in my sleep.

"These two want to join our side," says Flash, gesturing to the two girls.

Both tributes hold flaming branches of pine the light from which illuminates their faces in the darkness. Neither of them have night glasses. I could easily snuff out their fires and reach seven kills. A burning in my mind urges me to do it. 'It's the Hunger Games, hurry up kill, Kill KILL.' But no it could be a trap. This is something I would do; lure my rivals outside into a trap when they are at their weakest: Within the first minute of waking up. I decide to play along with their conversation at least until I wake up properly.

"OK, so who are you and what skills can you bring to the Career pack?"

"I am Sakura and this is Thistle," says the petite girl, gesturing to herself and then to a much larger girl with long white-blond hair. "We have spent all day on the ground exploring the arena and can give you information about it. We can tell you where all the other tributes are hiding and where to get food."

"But we don't plan on even going down there. The other tributes will be forced to return to the Cornucopia like you were. We have all the food, water, first aid and weapons. None of your information is useful."

Of course, their information is useful but they don't need to know that.

"A revolution has formed against you, they'll be here soon," Thistle says quickly, desperately.

I look to her. My feigned disinterest is fooling no one. She continues.

"There's a group that's formed. They plan to ambush you tonight. If you allow us on your side we will tell you more."

"By all means, come inside. Our numbers could do with a boost," I say with mock courteous.

Nonetheless they follow me into the horn and we all sit on the high jump mat. I get Flash to wake Coral and Diamond up.

"So what do you know?"

"There are some tributes collecting shellfish around the rocks and some more have taken to the pine forest," Thistle says.

"About the rebellion!" I demand threateningly.

"There is a group of three," begins Sakura. "They are walking in the cover of darkness across the sands as we speak and will be here in about an hour. They plan to force you out and take over the Cornucopia along with its resources. They bring with them weapons including an ice axe."

"The ice axe you say. Is one of their names Barda?"

"Nope, they must have taken it from him."

"Interesting, so what else do you know about the arena? From up here all we see is an island with sand dunes below us and a forest."

"Well the trees are densely packed pine. There is a pack of around fifty muttations that roam around the forest. They take the form of wild bores. The key to dealing with them is to be able to quickly climb trees and if in doubt to climb from tree to tree rather than walking along the pine needles."

"Or to carry a track and field hammer with you."

"Yeah good luck with that, they're pretty aggressive. You'd have to pry the hammer off of Tasi though. He found it yesterday and has been using it to club seals to death around the rocks. There's plenty of seaweed, shellfish and crabs living on the rocks. The tributes hanging around there have endless quantities of food and water. There's a fresh water stream running through the forest, it joins the sea there."

"Clubbing seals, that's sick! Anything else?"

"Not really. There's a beach for sun bathing on too and I've spotted plenty of fish."

"Right... Flash, Coral, Diamond get up. It sounds like we are going to be having some guests. Let's make some plans for entertaining them."

But first let's do away with our new found 'friends'.

"Diamond, Flash, Coral strap your parachute backpacks on, put on your night glasses and arm yourselves. Flash there's a flask of antifreeze on the ground there. Use that to poison the tip of your dart. Coral, sharpen the end of that javelin and hide all the food and medical supplies under the mat. We need to be outside and ready in ten minutes prepared for their arrival."

"What's with the burning plastic smell?" the Thistle asks, eight minutes later. "It's not us."

I smell it too. I take a few steps and look around. I notice it now; outside of the horn is a massive blaze engulfing the entire weapons pile. Stepping closer with my bow at the ready I notice that the pile is caving-in in the middle. The plywood platform has burned away allowing the smouldering remains to fall through and scatter as they plummet to the sand below. That was definitely not an hour. We have been tricked.

Coral and Flash rush forward to get a closer look at the fire. I let them go ahead. My attention is on Thistle and Sakura who are trying to make a dash from the horn. I manage to grab Thistle. I tackle her to the ground while getting a difficult shot off at Sakura. The arrow misses rebounding off the inside of the horn with a metallic reverberation.

As soon as Flash and Coral step foot outside the horn two figures drop down onto their shoulders from above. They are a little boy and a girl. They wrap their legs around the chests of the Careers pinning their arms. Diamond runs into the fight. Meanwhile Sakura does also grabbing all three sets of night glasses from the Careers and tossing them into the fire. I fling Thistle into the wall of the horn hoping to incapacitate her then draw myself into the fight. I use both arms, putting one around Coral and the other around Flash and pull them to the ground bringing their attackers down also. From out of nowhere another girl appears wielding an ice axe. I duck as she swings it at my face. My bow is no use at this close range. Instead I revert to a more indirect tactic. I pick the little boy up and hold him in front of me like a shield. He weighs barely anything and must surely be only twelve. From this position I negotiate.

"Put the axe down or I'll throw him into the fire."

The girl immediately drops the ice axe on her toe. I immediately throw the boy into the fire; perfect negotiating protocol. I'm not sure if he caught fire before tumbling through the now large hole that has burned into the middle of the platform but the girl with the ice axe isn't very happy with me for some reason. This is evidenced by the look on her face as she charges at me with her axe raised. Coral foot trips her before she can get to me and I run backwards to my Go-kart. I start it quickly and speed off around the fire to the far side of the platform. I'm relatively safe here. It would take any of the tributes at least ten seconds to run over and attack me with their close ranged weapons. However tactically I'm not sure that I should be abandoning my fellow Careers at this point in the Games. Right now they are left to fight a three on four battle.

The Gamemakers obviously don't think so either. Suddenly thick cloud moves in front of the moon. There is no longer any light apart from that of the burning platform. The entire weapons pile has disappeared now completely lost down the hole. And now the rain, the Gamemakers have sent heavy rain and hail down on us in seconds transforming the peaceful night sky into a tumultuous storm. The fire in the centre of the platform is extinguished immediately leaving a large hole. Everything has gone pitch black. Tentatively I test the gas pedal causing the Go-kart to wheel-spin. This is not going to work. Despite having night glasses on I can barely see my own hands. The water distorts the image on the lenses so I chuck them aside. The horn is the only shelter. Slowly I crawl forwards on all fours reaching ahead with my hands to make sure I am not heading over the edge of the platform or down the hole. Everything is dark and even if it weren't I doubt I could see further than a foot in this downpour. The situation is hideous without even mentioning how cold and exposed it is up here. If I don't keep crawling towards the horn I am going to die of exposure. It crossed my mind that this is exactly what the Gamemakers want: A fight to the death in the dark on a slippery platform, that is raised one hundred meters in the air, using primitive weapons. As I negotiate the hole in the middle of the platform I imagine the Gamemakers airing infrared imagery of my struggles to all of the TV sets in the country. Surely they don't want to kill off their best character already! The Games aren't even twenty-four hours old yet. I hate the Gamemakers. I hate the way they cave in to special interest groups. How they manipulate the Games to garner more sponsorship money and accentuate bizarre storylines. Why can't they just leave it as a fair and equal playing field in which only the fittest will survive?

It's freezing cold, and the rain continues to pelt down. I've lost all feeling in my hands but strangely I perceive a light ahead of me. I pull myself from a crawling position and run towards it no longer having the luxury of caring what dangers it represents.

I find myself inside the entrance of the horn and out of the rain finally. I stumble forward. The sound of heavy rain on the metal roof is deafening. Somebody grabs my arms. I try to fight them off but they are joined by a second person. I glance around noticing that someone has set fire to the floor. This is what is producing sufficient light to see by. Coral and Diamond are both face down, their arms and legs hog tied behind them. Flash is cornered by two others at the back of the horn. Now I am pulled to the ground and a rope is wrapped around me. My only weapon (the bow) is stripped from my back. Not that it would be of any use to me right now. Even if I could have stolen enough space to get a shot off, I doubt that my numb fingers would have even been capable. I kick and punch out frantically trying to make it hard for them to bind me, but my frozen limbs are too cold and uncoordinated. Soon I find myself lying next to Diamond with my hands and legs tied together. She can't talk as she has an apple jammed in her mouth. Fingers try to ram an apple into my mouth but I just eat it. The fire is starting to thaw me and I can feel my fingers regaining their strength.

Thistle is standing guard over us holding my bow. Three girls have Flash cornered at the back of the horn. Although the odds are against him, he is holding them off for the time being with his dart. He holds it above him in his right fist threatening to stab anyone who gets near. Sakura and another girl have a lasso each and are trying to entangle Flash with them. Another girl who I recognise as Pixie has night glasses and is defending them with an ice axe in one hand and a golf club in the other.

I try to shuffle closer to the fire. I manage to move awkwardly. My hands and legs are tightly bound though and there is no chance of wriggling free. My escapades are rewarded with an arrow poked into the back of my head.

"Hold still or I shoot!" Thistle yells.

I stay still. She doesn't shoot. Strange that. It must be some bizarre negotiating technique the like of which I have never encountered.

Thistle stands between Flash and the fire, blocking all the light. I can't see what is going on and all I can hear is the deafening racket of the rain and the occasional roll of thunder. A minute later Flash is tied up and being dragged to join us. The girl with the night glasses pockets his dart. The situation looks pretty dire. We are all strung up on the ground while the rebels stand around us brandishing weapons. There is only one option left: To grovel. The Gamemakers must recognise this as suddenly the rain dies down. I imagine that there must be a recording device hidden around here that is going out to the whole nation.

"You look like good people. Surely good people wouldn't come to our shelter in the middle of the night while we are asleep, to tie us up and systematically execute us? How could good people possibly live with themselves after doing that?"

"You killed Nero! It wasn't even a fair fight! You were way bigger than him and just picked him up and threw him in the…" Sakura says, unable to finish her sentence.

"I was acting out of self defence. The boy was trying to kill my friends and I. You guys were the ones instigating an unprovoked attack in the early hours of the morning recall!"

"Unprovoked!" exclaims Pixie. "I saw you lot sneak up on Sora in the middle of the night! You killed her friend, set her on fire and shot her with an arrow!"

"You saw that?"

"Yes. I was hiding underneath the platform. She's still alive by the way. We fixed her up and she will be better soon. How else did you think we got these weapons?"

It makes sense. So Barda must have died, and the girl survived, interesting. It's Flash's turn to respond.

"We only attacked them because they killed our friend Celeste! They pulled her off the edge of the platform and Sora's boyfriend broke her fingers and kicked her over the edge as she tried desperately to climb back up."

The rebels are quiet. This must be news to them. I jump at the opportunity to capitalise on their uncertainty.

"So let us end this string of retaliations and pre-emptive attacks and sort this out via negotiation. Yes we have been unfairly placed in this horrid situation. These Games are a despicable test of our moral values. If you were to kill us while we lay here defenceless before you there would be great psychological repercussions. Even if you were to emerge from these Games as the Victor your conscience would drive you to regret fuelled insanity much worse than death. Let us avoid that which is not in the best interests of anyone, so that we can stand up and say: when our moral values were tested to such an extreme degree they remained impenetrable. After all, the whole nation is bearing witness right now."

I can tell that this speech has touched them. The rebels are looking to each other for support on what to do next. Sadly my logic is flawless and they too realise that it is a lose-lose situation for everyone. However we as careers have had the weakness associated with harbouring moral values trained out of us from a young age. We know that having moral standards will make it impossible for one to emerge from the Games as a happy victor. In such a desperate situation this final advantage may be more critical than any form of weapons training.

"So how about this?" I continue. "You untie me and I will tell you where the medical backpacks and food are. You then untie Coral, Diamond and Flash and we will all immediately parachute out of here."

The rebels confer briefly out of earshot and return. They want to untie Flash first. They must not trust me. They also want to release us one at a time. Pixie the girl with the night glasses unties Flash's legs and then his arms.

"Now where are the backpacks?"

"Over here," Flash says, aware of the many weapons aimed at his head.

He leads the rebels to the back of the horn where the high jump mat is and uncovers our loot. Coral and I look at each other. I know exactly what she is thinking. Should we try to burn through our constraints while their attention is occupied? I shake my head.

The rebels tie all of the backpacks together and shadow Flash to the edge of the shelter. It is still pitch black outside but the rain is gone. Two of the rebels leave with Flash. They return a minute later to untie Coral.

"Did he jump?" I ask.

"Yup."

In the distance there is cannon fire confirming this. What happened? Are our parachutes too wet? Even with all the training us Careers do, I have never actually B.A.S.E. jumped before. I can see that Coral shares my concern. Is it possible that the rebels were bluffing and had merely taken Flash out of sight to murder him?

The girl with the night glasses is now un-tying Coral. Knowing her I doubt that she will be willing to play by the rules. I am right. As soon as she is untied, Coral grabs the night glasses off of Pixie and dashes out the fire with her boots. The room is thrown into complete darkness. It's a free for all. I struggle around on the floor trying to loosen my arms and legs. I hear a bow fire and a loud reverberation as it misses its target and finds the metal wall. Ouch my head! Someone hit it with cold hard metal. Most probably by accident as Coral is the only one who can see anything. I thrash around on the floor elevating the chaos even further. There's an assortment of strange sounds around me. People are wrestling. A body trips and falls over me, and someone is holding onto my leg punching me in the shin. I kick out and a girl screams with pain. Another arrow is fired and there is another much louder shriek of pain, definitely from the same girl. She continues screaming pitifully as someone drags me by the arms away from her grip. This person is untying my arms. Someone stands on my chest. I'm getting hit in the ribs with a metal object, probably the ice axe. There is another shriek of pain and the hitting ceases. My arms are now free. I swivel my body around so that Coral can work on my legs. She does. There's a great deal of screaming. Someone kicks me in the head. My left ear is ringing. I grab their leg and twist it. There is even more screaming. I pull the person closer, patting the pocket on their jumpsuit. There's something in it; the dart. I pull the dart from the girl's pocket and stab it into her leg. Coral has finished untying my legs so I stand and wrap my arms around the girl. I can feel her heart beating fast. She is screaming. How should I kill her? It's completely dark and the only weapon I have is a playing dart. I could stab her repeatedly in the neck with it but that would be too bloody and crude even for me. I'd be covered in blood and it might take hours for her to die of blood loss. No I have another idea.

I drag her kicking and screaming deeper into the horn where I feel around for the hole burned by the fire. It's just large enough to fit one body. I upend her and attempt to push her head through the hole. She must be pushing her arms out making this task difficult as shoving her down this hole is like trying to get a sticky substance out of a container. It takes time but I finally get her torso through the hole then jump on her legs. They go through too easily and I suspect that she must be holding onto some of the steel support structure. I reach around trying to find where her fingers are holding but there is no sign. It doesn't matter; she will surely fall in the dark on that slippery steel. Not to mention that dart she has stuck into her leg. I rush back to the action, where there's a struggle going on.

"Hey Coral, Diamond you there?" I ask.

"Yeah," Coral says in a muffled voice. "Help! Lost those glasses. Can't see anything."

I feel around on the floor. Thirty seconds later I find the glasses lying against the wall. I put them on and take in the surroundings. There are a lot of dark stains on the floor. Coral and Diamond are wrestling the three remaining rebels in the middle of the horn. Two of them have Coral pinned to the ground and are bashing her blindly with a golf club and the ice axe. I rush over to the scrum and pull Thistle and some other girl away and throw them against the wall. That will stop them for a while. I then wrap my arms around Sakura and drag her outside. It's not raining but the floor is slippery and there is only the slightest illumination from the rising sun. I won't make the same mistake this time I think as I drag her kicking and screaming towards the edge of the platform.

**The Official list of Deaths:**

**Death #1: Linden Garder,**bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie,**stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland,**was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods,**strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm,**unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.

**Death #7: Celeste Hale,**whilst dangling precariously from the edge of the parachute platform, Celeste had her grip broken by Barda causing her to fall to her death.

**Death #8:** **Flint wood**, attacked by a pack of mutated boars and was mauled to death over the course of an hour.

**Death #9: Barda Moss**, died as the result of a failed B.A.S.E. jump attempt. He was rotating too fast when he deployed his parachute and it tangled around him failing to open.

**Death #10: Nero Caligula**, thrown by Fin Lay through a fire and down a hole burned in the platform. Nero died from the impact sustained when he hit the sand below.

**Death #11: Flash Aurum**, lead to the edge of the platform and instructed to jump by the rebels. When Flash went to operate his parachute it became evident that someone had burned through most of the strings, he therefore died from the impact of his fall.


	18. As the Sun Rises on Day Two

**The Point of View of Sakura Velvet**

Fin has his arms wrapped around me taking most of my body weight. I kick out at the ground trying to free myself or at least get some control over my body. It's no use. I scream out but I know that nobody is going to come and save me. Thistle and Brooklyn are busy fighting Coral and Diamond, and Fin has already killed Pixie. Now he is going to kill me! I bite down on his arm while trying to free my own. It's useless, he's just too strong! I can barely see the edge of the platform in the light but we are only about ten meters from it.

OK, change of strategy. I twist my lower body so as to wrap my legs around him. He can't throw me over the edge if we're attached together. Well he could, but it don't think he will. We're now six feet from the edge and I'm thinking maybe to get away from Fin it ain't so far down. I take a look over the edge and can see the sand below: Instant death. He's trying to swing me around now, hoping to develop enough centripetal force to fling me over the edge. It's not working as I am holding on with my legs for dear life. If I end up falling to my death I'm going to make sure Fin comes with me.

Suddenly there is a large force pushing at Fin's back. He turns around in mid air but it's too late! There's no stopping us from falling over the edge. We both twist our heads to get a final glimpse of our killer. It's Pixie!

We are falling, accelerating downwards, faster and faster. Air rushes past my face. I hang onto Fin tightly with both arms and legs but strangely he's not trying to push me away! Indeed after releasing the pilot chute he puts his strong arms around my waist. I don't understand but I'm not complaining. This saves my life as a moment later the main chute opens producing a massive drag force acting to pull us apart. We both hold on tightly until we have decelerated and are floating slowly through the air together. It's kind of awkward being forced to wrap my legs tightly around Fin as he holds me in his arms and we float weightlessly in the rising sunlight. This awkwardness is accentuated no end when Fin holds my head in his hands and kisses me on the lips.

At this point I freak out. It's not worth it. I would rather die. I let go of him and push myself away but he holds on until we brush down onto a sand dune. I land on my back, Fin on top of me as the parachute lands over the top of us. I try to get up but he has me pinned.

"Listen. I need you," Fin whispers.

There is no one around so there is no need to whisper unless of course he doesn't want to be overheard by Gamemakers.

"You don't even know my name!"

"Sure I do Sakura Velvet. I know everything about you. You're an intelligent hard working girl from District 8. You enjoy baking sweets and cakes. Your father Joseph is a famous patissiere and you mother Ichigo is a renowned fashion designer."

How does he know this stuff? As if he can read my mind Fin responds to my look.

"It's not just all fun and Games being a Career tribute, you have to do your homework too. So are you going to join me? We could be good for each other, and what other choice do you have? You have no food, water or shelter. If you were to leave right now you would be alone and defenseless in this desert."

"I wouldn't be defenseless! You don't just have to be strong to do well in the Games, I'm quick, smart and have good endurance!"

"Fine then," Fin says, changing his expression from flattering to hostile. "You have two options. You can either join me and we will hunt down the other tributes together, or I will have to kill you."

What sort of choice is that?

**The Point of View of Tasi Merkava**

When I was five my dad abandoned me in the middle of a forest. I managed to adapt, to live with the animals, and eat plants. Eleven years on I find myself alone again abandoned in the middle of nowhere by society. After Flint deserted me I continued limping to the jagged rocks at the end of the beach. It's not very far from the Cornucopia but with my dodgy knee it took me all day.

I slept on the beach and in the morning I looked in and around the rocks finding an abundance of life. There are heaps of orange crabs and green mussels. I pick up one of the crabs and let it crawl over my hands and down my arm tickling my skin.

There is also a group of elephant seals spread out on the next beach along. There must be hundreds of them each weighing around a tonne. However separated from the pack I find an injured seal pup. It has been left behind because it can't move as fast as the others due to the fact that one of its flippers is damaged. I pick up the poor thing. It only weighs around forty kilograms and has rubber like slippery wet skin. Somehow its big wet eyes remind me of my best friend Hope, the dog I had to leave behind for the first time when my name was picked out for these Games.

"From now on your name is Hope," I tell the little seal. "I will look after you."

**The Point of View of Jacquelin (Jack) Aspen**

The sun wakes me on the first morning inside the arena. By my calculations it's been nearly eighteen hours since I have seen any of the other tributes. I crawl out of the cave and into the warm sunlight, allowing the radiation to gently warm my skin.

After B.A.S.E. jumping away from the platform as quickly as possible I had drifted towards the forest landing in the vast sand dunes. From there I had marched all day through the pine forest putting as much distance as possible between myself and the Cornucopia. By evening I had reached the far side of the island and found myself a cave to sleep in.

My stomach rumbles reminding me that I haven't eaten since entering the arena. At this point I start to regret not taking the time to grab at least a backpack, if not a weapon. There was a stream that I crossed about half an hour back. It must reach the sea at some point, but without iodine tablets I can't be sure that the water won't kill me. This is also a trickle of water inside the cave.

I have no need for a sleeping bag or shelter. The cave I slept in is perfect. It starts off on the beach in a wide opening that I can walk through easily but after a minute all of the passageways are too small and I am forced to crawl through them. Inside can't see anything so I feel around with my hands. At one point I even had to hold my breath and swim through a tight crack between two rocks. On the other side there was a brilliant hiding spot, a large space to walk around in and to keep my stuff. Feeling around I found some stalactites hanging down from the ceiling. I have to admit it's a bit scary in the enclosed space unable to see anything, but at least I know I am safe. Even if a tribute were to walk right across the island and find this cave, there is no way they would have the luck or nerve to follow me here. I could camp in here forever, if only I had some food and iodine tablets.

**The Point of View of Kestrel Snarky**

I can't believe those idiots at the bloodbath thought I was actually dead.

I'm now hiding in the pine forest. My stomach is killing me but not from getting hit with the track and field hammer. I didn't get a backpack so I am starving. Can someone send me a cheeseburger and lemonade? Do you want fries with that? No I would like a queen sized bed, a sickle, scythe and axe, you can hold the bow though.

I hate this place, I have to spend half my time cleaning my shoes, because the ground is all dirty. Surely the Careers have finished counting to thirty by now and are coming to find us. This is like the ultimate game of hide and go seek. They will probably find me pretty fast; I didn't really bother to hide too well, I just wander around trying to find everyone else. Maybe I am the one who is 'in'.

**The Point of View of Coral Turner**

It is still almost completely black, although the sun is just about to show itself. My body is sore all over. I keep getting battered with random unknown weapons.

Where has Fin got to with my night glasses? Surely Sakura didn't manage to overpower him!

Somewhere in the dark Diamond is fighting with Thistle and Brooklyn. I move forward carefully, aware that I could get clubbed in the head again with a golf club at any second. None of us have any night glasses so its complete chaos. There's also an archery bow and an ice axe floating around somewhere. I reach forward finding someone and pull their hair dragging them to the ground. The girl is strong and punches me in the face and we wrestle. She has me pinned to the ground in a headlock. On the other side of the horn I can hear the two other girls fighting. I manage to use my flexibility to escape from the headlock and in turn pin the girl's arms behind her back. The sun is really starting to come up now and I can see her blond hair up against my face.

"Hey, what? It's you Thistle," someone shouts.

I look across at where the two girls are fighting in the entrance way. What, why are Brooklyn and Thistle fighting each other, they are meant to be on the same team? Hey wait a minute that means I have Diamond's arms held behind her back. We all step outside stunned. The morning sun glances off of the plywood platform illuminating the substantial hole burned into its center. Even considering the sleep deprivation that was pretty stupid.

"Sorry Diamond," I say.

"Yeah, sorry for hitting you, what were we thinking?"

So it comes down to this. High up on an eighty meter diameter platform there is going to be a fight to the death between two highly trained Career tributes and two nobodies.

We spread out eyeing up the opposition. Thistle is a very curvy muscular young woman with waist length white blond hair, pale skin and big blue eyes. Brooklyn on the other hand is slightly taller but leaner with only a few curves and long brown hair. They are both taller than me by a head, but that will count for nothing when they are dead.

I keep an eye on Brooklyn. She looks really tired. I run around behind her, and she turns around. There is heaps of room on this platform we just need to manipulate them towards the edge.

I run past Thistle grabbing her by the shoulders and kicking at the back of her legs, pulling her to the ground. While she is getting back up me and Diamond team up on Brooklyn, grabbing onto her arms and pulling her towards the hole in the center of the platform.

"No!" Thistle screams, seeing what we are doing.

She charges towards us. Diamond breaks away and Thistle heads towards me. I hold my ground, but at the last moment I duck down. Thistle's shin bone in my face was not quite what I had intended, but I continue with my plan, to keep low. Her large frame trips over me as I throw her over my shoulder and the edge of the platform. She plummets screaming down the hole burned into the center. Her screams reduce in volume for four seconds before culminating in a deathly thud.

Now it's two versus one. This is just too easy. As soon as Thistle fell, Brooklyn burst into tears screaming. She turned on her heel and ran towards the edge of the platform. It's a futile move. Diamond and I track her down in an instant. Diamond gets there first grabbing Brooklyn's clothing and pulling her to the edge of the platform. I pause a moment until Diamond is just about to throw Brooklyn over the edge before I charge into both of them, pushing them to their deaths.

A minute later as I walk back to the horn by myself there are two cannon blasts.

Who said I couldn't kill people without Fin? It's getting pretty boring watching people fall over the side of this platform; can my sponsors please send me a spear?

When I get back to the horn I check up on the only other person left on the tower, but he's not there. Thunnus is gone! That's strange. Oh well I'll just grab something to eat and get back to sleep. I search around for one of the backpacks with food in it. They are gone too! Every last backpack is missing. I have no food or water either! What am I going to do? First no weapons, then no allies and now no food or water!

Fed up with these Games I go back to bed. I have the high jump mat all to myself now as the sun rises in the sky on day two in the arena.

**The Official list of Deaths:**

**Death #1: Linden Garder,**bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie,**stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland,**was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods,**strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm,**unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.

**Death #7: Celeste Hale,**whilst dangling precariously from the edge of the parachute platform, Celeste had her grip broken by Barda causing her to fall to her death.

**Death #8:** **Flint wood**, attacked by a pack of mutated boars and was mauled to death over the course of an hour.

**Death #9: Barda Moss**, died as the result of a failed B.A.S.E. jump attempt. He was rotating too fast when he deployed his parachute and it tangled around him failing to open.

**Death #10: Nero Caligula,** thrown by Fin Lay through a fire and down a hole burned in the platform. Nero died from the impact sustained when he hit the sand below.

**Death #11: Flash Aurum,** lead to the edge of the platform and instructed to jump by the rebels. When Flash went to operate his parachute it became evident that someone had burned through most of the strings, he therefore died from blunt force trauma.

**Death #12: Thistle Kellik,** thrown down the hole burned into the center of the main platform by Coral Turner, she died of blunt force trauma when she hit the ground.

******Death #13: Thunnus Seidon, **knocked into a state of unconsciousness by Chesta during the Bloodbath. He never recovered and his body was dropped by Pixie, through a hole burned in the plywood platform. He fell to his death.


	19. Snow is Very Angry

**The Point of View of Persephone (Pixie) Bradley**

So that's the end of Fin and Sakura. The sun is just beginning to rise on day two in the arena. For the first time I inspect my wounds. There is a playing dart sticking out of my thigh. It stings and bleeds slightly when I rip it out. Should I go back and help out Brooklyn and Thistle? No, there is no need to risk further injury; after all they probably think I'm dead.

I linger around the back of the horn, wondering what to do now. Should I go back to Sky and Sora? Not quite yet. First I scale the outside of the horn until I am on top of the golden metallic roof. I lay flat on the roof and peer over the edge. There is no one around, but if I press my ear up against the metal I can hear fighting going on inside. It must be Thistle, and Brooklyn against Diamond and Coral.

A few minutes later all four of them come out of the horn and continue their fight on the platform. Indeed it is Thistle and Brooklyn on one team and Diamond and Coral on the other. If my math skills serve me correctly then there is no one left in the horn. This gives me an idea.

The four girls are staring each other down in the middle of the arena. I poke my head up ever so slowly so that I can watch the action without being noticed. Secrecy has been my main strategy in the arena after all. There is a brief tussle in which the Careers capture Brooklyn. Thistle tries to stop them and she is thrown by Coral down the hole that we burned in the middle of the platform. At this point Brooklyn tries to run away towards the far side of the arena. I take my chance to jump down from the horn and run inside. I quickly track down the all of the backpacks which we had tied together earlier. I also find a blanket. Under the blanket there is an unconscious boy! What the… Maybe he is asleep, if so now is my opportunity. Quickly I drag the pile of backpacks to the same hole in the platform that Fin had pushed me through. I throw them down the hole and then run back and do the same with the unconscious boy. How did we not notice him before? I doesn't matter really, all that matters is that there is one less Career tribute in the Game.

Before Coral can return and find me I climb down the hole myself. First I find an 'I' beam and get hand holds on either side before bringing my feet down and hanging in mid air by my hands. I don't even bother using my legs at all as I swing across to the main central support tower, which is just like a steel ladder really. There are two blasts from a cannon and I can see a hovercraft picking up Thistle's body. When I get down I am going to drag the backpacks back to Sky and Sora's hiding place in the forest.

**The Point of View of Diamond Louis**

What the hell is going on? One moment Brooklyn and I were walking through an everlasting sandy desert. The early morning sun was beating down and I could hear the ocean crashing in the distance. The next thing I know the arena is completely pitch black. The sun has suddenly gone out and there is no moon, there are no stars, just no light at all. Is it an eclipse? Everything is silent. Even the waves have stopped. My heart starts to beat faster. I can't even see Brooklyn and she's right next to me. What could the Gamemakers possibly have in store for us now?

**The Point of View of Head Gamemaker Jeft Finwip**

What the hell are they doing? Get out of here. You will ruin the Games!

I call security.

"Hey Trev, some idiots are trying to take over the Hunger Games control room."

"Get out of there now!" Treva screams.

I don't need a second invitation. The control room is a complete mess. Around a dozen ninjas dressed in identical green and white uniforms have somehow found their way past security. My staff are running around all over the place in hysterical shock. Quickly I open a concealed door hidden from view behind an aluminum panel. Inside is an emergency elevator that I had had installed especially in case of a rebellion. At the time I had not expected anything like this. The destructive precision of these people is just insane!

The elevator fires me upwards at excessive speeds to the twelfth floor corridor. It's much more quiet up here, but not for long. Immediately I charge down the hallway to my lawyer's office. He will know what is going on; he is of course the Supreme Court Judge Godrich Hardich. When I burst into his office without knocking, I notice he is playing some stupid game. He quickly clears his screen. This sort of immaturity would usually piss me off, but right now there is a more important issue to deal with.

"What the hell is going on?"

"We have received an official declaration of war from the Country of Umar. I received an email forwarded from President Snow's office."

"Umar?"

"It's just another of the inferior countries in the world. Like every other country, Panem doesn't interact with them and they usually leave us alone."

"Other countries?"

"Yeah! Exactly not many people know about them, only those high up in the Capitol."

"What are you trying to say?" I growl. "Anyway, what did the email say?"

"Read through it yourself," Godrich says, handing me a sheet of paper.

'_Our intelligence forces have uncovered evidence of breaches of human rights in Panem. More specifically the annual gladiatorial conflict commonly referred to as the 'Hunger Games' is in breach of the International Human Rights Declaration. We recognize that Panem refuses to sign such international declarations and we respect your right to freedom of choice. However, lately it has become evidentthat there is substantial corruption amongst Capitol officials attached to the running of the Hunger Games, more specifically instances of illegal betting, insider trading and general manipulation of results in the Games via an elaborate sponsorship system. The people of Umar have watched the way in which children are for all intents and purposes, murdered systematically by powerful special interest groups within the Capitol. Such barbaric interactions starkly oppose the religious beliefs of the people in Umar, where God is the only one who may decide who lives or dies. Therefore the citizensof Umar have democratically voted to declare war on Panem effective immediately, unless said interactive components of the Hunger Games are removed.' _

So that was an international act of war I witnessed in the control room. My phone is ringing. It is President Snow. I answer it.

"Jeft speaking."

The furious man on the other end matches my two words.

"Boardroom now!"

**The Point of View of President Snow**

Once everyone is here I begin.

"There is a team of international terrorists downstairs who have taken our security by surprise and are trying to shut down the Hunger Games. They are pulling out power cords and shutting down computers and doing all sorts of crazy mischief to prevent us broadcasting to the nation. Purnim do you have anything else to add?"

"Only that Umar is a small weak nation and this is merely a localized attack using their only specially trained spies. The rest of Panem is completely safe, all they have done is bring down the Hunger Games servers," says the Head of Defense.

"What about the broadcast, Walker?

"We cut the live broadcasting feed out immediately. Right now the country is seeing the usual old clips of District 13 being bombed and lying in ruins," says the media tycoon.

"OK good, so what is happening inside the arena?"

"We have lost power to everything. The weather is shut down and the spies have barricaded themselves inside the control room. If we can't get them out within forty-five minutes the whole arena will freeze over!"

"Right lets act fast. Purnim, I want a squadron of one hundred Peacekeepers ready for deployment into the control room in the next ten minutes. We are going to take this control center back by force. Also I need ten planes armed with nuclear bombs to take off bound for Umar immediately. "

The defense minister rushes off in agreement. My personal assistant brings up a tablet screen showing images from a battery powered wirelessly transmitting camera installed inside the control room. I view the screen while the rest of the room gauges my expression intently. The images are not good.

These spies are well trained. Umar must have been planning an attack like this for years. They are systematically dismantling the most important equipment in the control room as if they know exactly which pieces are most important. This must be an inside job, and I will find out who the traitor is in time. They will be executed naturally. Right now the terrorists are taking apart computers and physically destroying the hard drives and screens with small hammers. They are removing specially designed printed circuit boards and snapping them into pieces and pouring glue onto keyboards. They are cutting LAN and power cables and sabotaging power points. This is a real demolition job. There is no way the Games will be ready to continue for weeks if not months. There is only one last option; I hate doing this but we will have to resort to plan B. President's always have a plan B for incidents like this.

"OK Walker, let's take all the data recorded for these Games from the Justice Building in District 1 and broadcast reruns of that to the citizens for now."

"Yes Sir," says the media tycoon, as he scuttles out of the office. "Hopefully we will be back on air in half an hour."

Now for the real big issue; what state is the back-up arena going to be in? The current arena is effectively useless as we have no control over it and it will take months to replace the damage currently being caused. It is my policy that all past arenas must be preserved and maintained to a standard in which they could be called upon given a day's notice. But which arena should I choose? Last year's arena was alright, and it will definitely still be in good condition, but I remember fondly an old arena, the one that hosted the 51st Hunger Games in which Fin's father won. I had always wanted to retry the arena from the 51th Hunger Games again; it was a real dynamic spectacle and caused some horrific deaths. I turn to my personal assistant.

"Organize that each of the tributes is collected by a hover craft and taken to the holding centre of the 51th Hunger Games arena. You know the one that had the Towers of Terror. Make sure none of them die in the mean time. This has to be done as smoothly and quickly as possible."

Finally I turn to the rest of the gathering in general.

"I need another large hovercraft for all of the Gamemakers. They need to bring all of their tools and equipment. We have an arena to bring back up to working order!"

With this people begin to scuttle everywhere. Only my lawyer and I are left in the room.

"So are you going to continue the internal sponsorship system?" he asks.

"Of course I am" I say. "We just have to be more careful about it. Make it clear to each of the members that they can only view their sponsorship points on my private profile and that any communication about the sponsorship system must only be done via private message straight to my office."

"Certainly I will do that now."

"But wait a second; you didn't actually believe that I would back down to the demands of a bunch of weaklings like that did you?"

"No of course not."

**The Point of View of Tasi Merkava**

It has been pitch black here for several minutes now. What is going on? Even the waves have stopped crashing against the rocks. One moment it was warm and sunny, the next me and Hope are shivering in the dark. I hug the baby seal up to my chest and we share our warmth, but it is not going to last. Surely soon we will freeze to death.

Suddenly a hovercraft materializes just above my head. This is a bit premature, I'm not even dead yet! An unknown force field is lifting me off the ground. I kick out at the air trying to regain control of my body but it is no use the force is incredible. Instead I focus on holding onto Hope. After all they are saving us from freezing to death.

**The Official list of Deaths:**

**Death #1: Linden Garder,**bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie,**stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland,**was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods,**strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm,**unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.

**Death #7: Celeste Hale,**whilst dangling precariously from the edge of the parachute platform, Celeste had her grip broken by Barda causing her to fall to her death.

**Death #8:** **Flint wood**, attacked by a pack of mutated boars and was mauled to death over the course of an hour.

**Death #9: Barda Moss**, died as the result of a failed B.A.S.E. jump attempt. He was rotating too fast when he deployed his parachute and it tangled around him failing to open.

**Death #10: Nero Caligula,** thrown by Fin Lay through a fire and down a hole burned into the platform. Nero died from burns and the impact sustained when he hit the sand below.

**Death #11: Flash Aurum,** lead to the edge of the platform and instructed to jump by the rebels. When Flash went to operate his parachute it became evident that someone had burned through most of the strings, he therefore died from blunt force trauma.

**Death #12: Thistle Kellik,** thrown down the hole burned into the center of the main platform by Coral Turner, she died of blunt force trauma when she hit the ground.

**Death #13: Thunnus Seidon,**knocked into a state of unconsciousness by Chesta during the Bloodbath. He never recovered and his body was dropped by Pixie, through a hole burned in the plywood platform. He fell to his death.


	20. The Bloodbath II

**The Point of View of Kestrel Snarky**

Right so let's get this straight, some idiot accidentally kicked a power cable causing the arena to shut down, and now there are eleven victors this year. Isn't that kind of lame?

We are all being held in separate glass walled cubicles in some unknown building. Four hours ago a hovercraft had magically beamed me up from that freezing forest and taken me away. No one has spoken to us yet and although I can see the other tributes through the glass walls, we cannot talk to each other. The only tribute moving is Diamond, who is still angrily banging on the pane of glass that separates herself from Coral. I wonder what that's about.

All of a sudden the speaker hidden in the corner of my cubicle begins to speak.

"Greetings tributes! As you will have noticed we have had a slight technical glitch which has resulted in the permanent shutdown of the arena for the Sixty-ninth Hunger Games. There is no reason for concern, a new arena is currently being set up, and the Games will continue in exactly twenty one hours time. In the mean time you will be feed, you will have any wounds attended to and your stylists will get you back up into tip top shape!"

So it looks like they are pretty much trying to restart the Games all over again in a different arena. No wonder they strip searched me for weapons on the hovercraft. It's pretty unfair though because they let Tasi keep his disabled seal. Basically a Peacekeeper was trying to pull it off him so they could chuck it out of the hovercraft but Tasi threatened to jump too if they did. For some reason that changed their minds. If it were me I would have just let the nutter kill himself.

A Peacekeeper approaches my window with a key unlocking it. He drags me by the arm out of the cubicle but I push him away and walk by myself following him out of the room and down a long stretch of luxurious but old stairway. At the bottom my prep team's four familiar faces greet me. Damn I thought I'd never have to see those spastics again. They are completely useless unless they have some food for me.

**The Point of View of Diamond Louis**

Yus, yus, yus, hours upon hours of pampering, just what I need right now. It had been like two days since I had had a shower and I have to admit I was no longer fit for television.

I lay naked on a clean and softly padded table as my prep team fuss about me waxing my whole body. I close my eyes and relax as two people carefully clip my toenails and comment on how good I look. This is absolute heaven compared to the arena. My thoughts drift and I start to wonder whether I did actually die when Coral pushed me and Brooklyn off the platform. Am I actually in heaven? Even if this is heaven, if I see Coral again I'm going to kill her slowly and painfully. I was helping her out and she repays me like that! It's just lucky I had the presence of mind to pull my parachute otherwise I would be dead right now. In hindsight I should have teamed up with the rebels to toss Coral over the edge!

It gives me great pleasure imagining gruesome ways in which I could kill Coral. Hopefully the new arena has some real weapons that I can stab her in the eye with.

**The Point of View of Sora Painton**

Even after twenty hours of the best treatment the Capitol can provide, my leg is still sore. The head Gamemaker wouldn't allow me to have any pain killers even when the medical staff rubbed in all manner of exotic creams and pastes. I have to admit though they have done a good job. My leg is still sore, but at least I can walk around on it. It is miraculous really, and leaves me wondering what Panem could achieve if it used its technology for good rather than to control its population.

It's only me and my stylist left in our private room. In the centre of the room is a giant tube which I am meant to climb into in one minute's time according to an incessant automated countdown. It feels weird being on the brink of being tossed back into the Games. Logically I should be just as nervous as last time, but for some reason I'm just not. It's like I've been there and done that before.

Thirty seconds left.

"Remember not to step off your platform until the gong goes otherwise it will explode."

I nod and take my place inside the tube closing the door behind me. It locks instantly trapping me inside. I return a last little wave as my platform slowly starts to ascend into the arena.

As soon as my head reaches ground level I take an excited look at the arena. It's a massive old theme park stretching out in all directions, complete with rides, ridiculous cartoon signs and a hotdog stand. Ten other tributes also rise from the ground with me. By now I know the names of all of them. Looking around the circle there is Tasi to my left then Brooklyn, Sky, Kestrel, Jack, Coral, Fin, Diamond, Pixie and Sakura to my right.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let the Sixty-ninth Hunger Games resume!" booms the presenter.

Finally a burst of adrenalin hits my system as the familiar one minute countdown begins. The whole country is watching us, and I could be dead within the next few minutes.

"Forty seven, forty six, forty five."

As usual there is a big golden horn in the middle of the Cornucopia along with a massive pile of backpacks and weapons. The pile is about forty meters away from everyone's platforms so even if I squint I can't quite make out the individual weapons. All I can tell is that once again there are none of the traditional swords, knives or bows.

"Twenty nine, twenty eight, twenty seven."

**The Point of View of Tazmin Ranger**

It's just about to start again; I am so excited. They should have two bloodbaths every year it's the most exciting part. Twenty seconds until kick off. I double check quickly that my VCR is recording properly. The red light is flashing on and off so I assume so.

Here in District 7 it's compulsory that we watch the Hunger Games continuously for the few weeks that it is on each year. I reckon this rule is just pointless. Why would anyone not want to watch every second of the Games? Television during the rest of the year is just repeats of utter rubbish but during these weeks I'm a model Panem citizen never leaving my room.

"Five, four, three."

The television crew settles on a bird's eye view of the eleven tributes standing on their respective platforms encircling the Cornucopia. This is the same theme park arena that they had for the 51st Hunger Games. I've watched most of that year's Games on video but only once before.

The gong sounds and the tributes run everywhere. It's different with only eleven tributes. Everyone knows what to expect from each other and who to avoid at all costs. Tasi is holding his baby seal and limping off as fast as he can away from the Cornucopia and towards the bumper boats. Kestrel sprints off immediately towards the roller coaster. Everyone else runs into the middle of the Cornucopia. The camera focuses on the Cornucopia. Jack, Sky, Brooklyn and Sora are all running about looking for backpacks. The Careers are also in the action. Diamond, Coral and Fin have made a bee line straight for the weapons. Diamond has a torque wrench and is bashing Coral over the head with it. All Coral has is a spanner. I'm not surprised those two are fighting considering what Coral tried to do to Diamond in the other arena.

Fin's not wasting his time taking sides instead he has found himself a crowbar and is tripping people over by whacking them in the ankles. So far he has brought down Pixie and Sakura. Both of them are now trying to crawl away amongst the noise and confusion of movement. I don't know why Sakura isn't angry at Pixie considering that she did push her and Fin off the platform in the other arena.

Fin has now taken to smashing Brooklyn in the head with the crowbar. She is lying unconscious on the ground and he is whacking her repeatedly with the heavy metal tool. Her head is bleeding profusely and no one dares to approach Fin about it. In fact everyone is running in the opposite direction away from him scattering themselves to all parts of the amusement park. The camera focuses in on the massive smile spread across Fin's face. He is one ruthless competitor! I think he is just being a bit of a showman now though; smashing her motionless skull for like two minutes. It's pretty obvious that she is dead considering how much blood is pouring from her head.

As usual by now the Cornucopia is quiet except for the Career tributes. The bloodbath is over, except for Coral and Diamond wrestling each other on the ground. Both girls have a hand on the torque wrench and the spanner and Diamond is lying on top of Coral who is bleeding profusely from a large gash above her left eyebrow. The television camera follows Fin looking over his shoulder as he walks over to the brawling girls and rips them apart.

"Get up!" Fin shouts, grabbing Coral and Diamond by the shoulders and holding them apart at arm's length. "Are we going to work as a Career pack or not?"

The camera now focuses on Diamond's livid expression. It says 'Coral must die.' There will be no agreement met here and Fin knows it.

"Well f**k you guys then!" Fin shouts, letting the girls at each other. "Just kill each other for all I care."

That is exactly what Diamond plans to do. Both girls run into each other and Diamond manages to whack Coral in the side of the head with the torque wrench. Coral is bleeding from both the cut above her eye and now from her ear.

Coral sprints off in pain and Diamond chases after her. The television cameras leave Fin for now and follow the chase from the air. Fin jogs behind Diamond watching the entertainment. Coral is running down the main footpath towards the rollercoaster. She vaults the wire fence around the ride with ease and Diamond and Fin follow. Coral then starts to climb the rollercoaster itself but Fin manages to grab a hold of her leg and pulls her down.

"I said fight, not run away!" Fin yells. "We need to stay near the Cornucopia to control all the weapons."

Out of nowhere a silver parachute floats down through the air and into the hands of Diamond Louis. All three of the Careers stare at it in shock. What would a sponsor be sending this early in the Games? Diamond rips open the wrapping paper to reveal a large chrome serving tray. Under the lid is a whole cooked lobster along with half a dozen soft white bread buns.

"What the…"

"Man you have some stupid rich sponsors; it must be the blond hair I'd say," laughs Fin. "Gives us some."

"Why couldn't there have sent me something more deadly. You know, like some anti-Coral spray or something, a knife maybe."

"Give us some!" Fin repeats.

"Stuff off you'll give it to Coral."

Fin is still holding on to Coral's leg preventing her from running away. She is balancing on one foot whilst holding on to the rollercoaster track for stability.

"Nah I won't," Fin says.

Diamond chucks him a bun, and he passes it to Coral.

"You're such d***head, Fin. I'm not giving you anymore."

"Yeah I don't even need food; we have heaps at the Cornucopia. Your sponsors are just wasting their money."

"Good luck finding a freshly cooked lobster," Diamond responds, ripping apart the sea creature and making herself a sandwich.

"So are you going to give us some of the meat or not?"

"Stuff off," says Diamond, through a mouth full of sandwich.

She eats the bun seductively. Coral imitates her mockingly with her meatless version. Suddenly there is a loud roar and the view switches to a camera installed inside the seat of a rollercoaster car hurtling around a tight bend. Kestrel is strapped into a seat which is rapidly approaching the Career tributes. Just in time Coral removes her arm from the rollercoaster track as the carriage flies by at 100 kilometers per hour. She loses balance and falls onto the ground dropping the bun. Diamond is also on the ground and she isn't moving. The Head Gamemaker's face appears in a square in the corner of the screen.

"Little did Diamond know that her lobster was sent not by her sponsors but by the sponsors of Coral Turner. The meat has been injected with a highly toxic concoction based on venom from Tracker Jackers, which are genetically altered wasps."

Diamond is lying motionless on the grass. The cameras focus on her eyes which are now glazed over and lifeless, and zoom out to show the mostly uneaten lobster sitting ominously on her chest.

"It's poison!" Fin bellows.

Coral starts spitting out the bread. She puts her fingers down her throat forcing herself to throw up all over the grass. Fin rips off Diamond's top and wraps the lobster up in it, making sure that he does not touch it with his bare hands. He then holds on to the bundle.

"Let's get out of here so the hovercrafts can have her body."

Coral and Fin walk back up the hill to the Cornucopia. As soon as they are out of sight there is the sound of cannon fire and we are shown Diamond's body being lifted up by a force field into a massive hovercraft. The hovercraft then vanishes and is replaced by some action in what looks like a giant swimming pool.

Tasi is in the shallow light blue water wrestling with a black and white killer whale. It looks like the killer whale has a baby seal in its mouth. It must be Hope! Tasi must have inadvertently put Hope into a pool containing killer whales. The camera pans out and it becomes obvious that this isn't meant to be the killer whale pool; instead the Gamemakers have put the killer whales in with the bumper boats! What a clever idea. The Gamemakers are so smart like that. The Head Gamemaker's appears again in the corner of the screen. This is always a good sign. I shouldn't really be saying this considering that Tasi comes from my District, but he has been the lamest character in the Games so far. He is really strong, like even stronger than Fin, but all he does is avoid conflict.

"Little did Tasi know about what lurks under the surface of the water, when he released his beloved Hope into the bumper boat pool. These are muttations. They are genetically modified killer whales that have been trained using the most advanced psychological techniques to attack at the first sign of human blood."

At the moment the killer whale is trying to swallow the baby seal whole. Tasi has both of his arms down its throat and is kicking out at its slippery head. The killer whale bites down on Tasi's arm producing a small wound and the first sign of human blood. A single drops falls into the water. Immediately the whole pool turns it's an erratic turbulent flow. It's as if someone has turned on the water jets. Half a dozen killer whales emerge out of nowhere, desperately struggling against each other in the water to be the one to taste human blood. In no time Tasi's body is being ripped at from five different angles. The pool is no longer light blue but has turned red, causing the killer whales to break into an even more fanatic frenzy. Somehow I don't think there will be any need for a hover craft to remove Tasi's body, more like a vacuum pump.

Miraculously through all of this the disabled seal Hope has been utterly ignored and has managed to escape from the pool. The camera follows the baby seal for a while as it limps away before crossing back to an aerial view of Coral and Fin picking through the weapons pile.

All of the weapons appear to just be mechanics tools. I bet those were the tools that they were using to quickly get the arena back up into a working state. They probably couldn't be bothered sourcing the usual medieval knives, bows and swords. There are jumper cables, ratchet tie downs, plenty of massive spanners, screw drivers, hammers. Fin has found a gas powered blowtorch and an arc welder. Coral has found a range of cordless battery powered tools including drills, grinders and sanders.

"This is brilliant!" Fin exclaims, running around filling his arms with tools. "They are all so good!"

Fin doesn't want to leave anything behind. He grabs a backpack and fills it with tools until he can barely manage to lift it off the ground. When he goes to take a step the sheer weight rips a hole in the bottom of the bag and the tools fall to the ground.

"You don't need that many tools, Fin! You're such a typical boy!"

"You can never have enough tools!" replies Fin jokingly, picking out the blowtorch, arc welder and angle grinder. "Fine I'll just take these ones for now, and maybe a few more."

In no time he ends up filling a backpack again with so much weight that he can hardly walk.

**The Official list of Deaths:**

**Death #1: Linden Garder,**bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie,**stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland,**was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods,**strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm,**unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.

**Death #7: Celeste Hale,**whilst dangling precariously from the edge of the parachute platform, Celeste had her grip broken by Barda causing her to fall to her death.

**Death #8:** **Flint wood**, attacked by a pack of mutated boars and was mauled to death over the course of an hour.

**Death #9: Barda Moss**, died as the result of a failed B.A.S.E. jump attempt. He was rotating too fast when he deployed his parachute and it tangled around him failing to open.

**Death #10: Nero Caligula,** thrown by Fin Lay through a fire and down a hole burned into the platform. Nero died from burns and the impact sustained when he hit the sand below.

**Death #11: Flash Aurum,** lead to the edge of the platform and instructed to jump by the rebels. When Flash went to operate his parachute it became evident that someone had burned through most of the strings, he therefore died from blunt force trauma.

**Death #12: Thistle Kellik,** thrown down the hole burned into the center of the main platform by Coral Turner, she died of blunt force trauma when she hit the ground.

**Death #13: Thunnus Seidon,**knocked into a state of unconsciousness by Chesta during the Bloodbath. He never recovered and his body was dropped by Pixie, through a hole burned in the plywood platform. He fell to his death.

**Death #14: Brooklyn Virgona,** bashed repeatedly in the head with a crowbar by Fin Lay during the second bloodbath. She died of blunt force trauma.

**Death #15: Diamond Louis**, ate a poisoned lobster that had been sent to her by a sponsor of Coral Turner. She died as soon as the poison entered her blood stream.

**Death #16: Tasi Merkava**, ripped to pieces by mutated killer whales while successfully saving his pet seal Hope.

**Author's note: We are now down to the final eight. **

.


	21. Towers of Terror

**The Point of View of Tazmin Ranger**

Usually the television coverage just follows around the action. Therefore in the Sixty-ninth Hunger Games so far, the coverage has pretty much just followed Fin Lay around. Right now however all Fin is doing is walking around the amusement park with Coral. He knows the place well because his father was the victor of the Fifty-first Hunger Games. Already they have had his father on talking about the arena and Fin's chances. In the lull in action the broadcasters take time to introduce the arena.

First they start with a zoomed out bird's eye view showing the arena and the surrounding wasteland. The amusement park is situated in the middle of nowhere and has a ten meter high razor wire electric fence around the perimeter. According to the commentator it's rated to 100 000 volts and will kill any tribute that touches it. Inside the amusement park itself there are heaps of different rides. There's a log flume, rollercoaster, Ferris wheel, Haunted House and a massive drop tower called the Tower of Terror which would probably be illegal in a real amusement park. The tower is 304 meters high and drops the rider at freefall speeds before slowing them to a stop just a meter from the ground. The commentator says the ride hasn't been used since the Fifty-first Hunger Games, because all of the engineers are too scared to test it. Of course Fin's dad Dund Lay claims he was the last to use it.

The broadcasters now do their usual flick through each of the tributes, with lots of emphasis on the fact that we are down to the final eight.

Kestrel is still hanging out on the rollercoaster. She has taken to strapping herself into the controller's seat. Basically there are two buttons on the rollercoaster: Stop and Go. I guess her plan is to punch the green button if anyone comes to attack her and then hit the red emergency stop button half way around the track so she can escape. Either that or she plans on smashing into anyone who tries to climb up onto the tracks, like Coral did earlier. It's a pretty good idea I guess.

Sakura has ventured alone into the Haunted House which is like a five story tower with ghosts inside. At the moment they are showing images from an infrared camera of her walking up the stairs to the second floor. Apparently there are some purple ghosts inside that take the form of Pokémon characters. Not sure what Pokémon is, must be some sort of ancient myth. We probably learned about it at school, but I'm not very cultured like that. I don't really care what happened a hundred or so years ago. I'm not sure what these ghosts can do but the commentator is raving on about their special attacks. How can a ghost attack you, won't they just go right through you? Apparently they can eat your dreams. It's completely bizarre and I don't get it.

It turns out Pixie's ankle got pretty munched when Fin hit it with the crowbar. She was able to crawl away on all fours and hide in some bushes but she has lost her best asset which was agility and secrecy. It's pretty hard to sneak up behind someone if you have to hop everywhere. At the moment she is up a small oak tree nursing her ankle. If anyone finds her she is so dead.

Sora the explorer and Sky seem to have formed a pre-Games pact as they immediately joined forces again after the bloodbath. At the moment they are just walking around the arena. I don't know what they are up to and the commentators can't figure it out either. They are bound to walk into the Career pair at some stage, and without any weapons, Fin will be free to blowtorch their faces until their eyeballs shrivel up.

Jack is seriously such a heroine in these Games. First there was the B.A.S.E. jumping, then the intense caving, but now she has taken it to an all new extreme. I don't know if the commentators are just being melodramatic but apparently even with the GPS tracker it took them a good ten minutes to figure out where Jack was. They are showing an action replay of it now using hidden cameras installed in the Tower of Terror. Basically she strapped herself into the ride and pressed the green button installed at the bottom. There are no control systems for the rider on this ride which means it's more of an execution tool than anything else. The machine lifted her slowly up 304 meters but wouldn't let her down again so now she is sitting right at the top of the tower looking down on everything. One of the hovercrafts is up there filming her now. From up this high you can see everything that is going on in the arena but it's pretty hard to see people unless they are moving just because you are so far away.

"Wow, hold that view," screams the commentator.

Jack is now undoing her restraint and climbing out. She balances along the rail that holds the chair in the air and jumps up to get two hands over the edge of the platform on the top. It's slippery plastic and everyone is just waiting in anticipation for her to fall but she doesn't. She manages to pull herself up onto the plastic circular surface on the top of the tower. In the end she is standing on a flat circle of three meter diameter raised to 304 meters in the air. I have no idea how she plans on getting down, I can only assume it is some kind of suicide attempt. The broadcasters obviously are thinking along the same lines as me because they hold one continuous shot of her tall muscular dark skinned body standing with her arms outstretched for at least ten minutes. She doesn't plan on jumping.

So that's what all the tributes are doing. They aren't very proactive when it comes to killing people so the broadcasters return to following Fin the excitement machine and his District 2 girlfriend. Fin knows the arena well and has taken to setting up traps. We are shown a replay from ten minutes ago of Fin angle grinding through the latch on the front door of the Haunted House and then arc welding the door shut. If anyone's still inside they will have to jump out one of the second story windows to escape the ghosts.

They now cut back to live images of Fin and Coral. Fin smashes the window of hot dog stand with the torque wrench and unlocks the door. Inside there is a whole fridge filled with soft drinks. He wants to put them all in his bag but Coral reminds him not to be greedy. It doesn't look like these Hunger Games will be much about hunger anyway. Perhaps they should rename it the Murder Games. Fin grabs one of the broken shards of glass and wraps duct tape around it ten times to make a makeshift handle.

"Here you are darling, for you," he says, in a mock sweet voice as if he is giving Coral a diamond ring or something.

"Oh I just love it Fin," Coral say, playing along by holding the glass shard up to the light. "You are such a sweaty!"

Fin laughs hysterically.

"But surely you must hear that all the time," Coral continues sarcastically.

"Oh yes definitely. I mean you should have seen what I did for Brooklyn this morning. You girls are just so lucky to have me in the final eight."

"Oh wow, yeah, I just noticed. With Tasi dead you're the only one flying the flag for the boys!"

Fin grabs Coral and lifts her small frame off of the ground in a big hug, careful not to stab himself in the eye with her glass sword.

"So come on, we are at an amusement park after all, which ride do you want to sabotage next?"

"Let's go on the Tower of Terror!"

"Oh, but Coral I don't think you'll be tall enough."

"Shut up!"

The camera follows the Career pair as they leave the Cornucopia, it then switches to Sora and Sky. Apparently the two girls had spied out the Career pair and have been following them around keeping out of sight. I guess that's a good way of not being snuck up on. They are now picking through the items at the Cornucopia. Sora has found a multipurpose pocket knife and a rope and Sky has picked up both a hammer and a hacksaw. They slip the tools into their backpacks and continue after the Career pair.

Fin and Coral have reached the Tower of Terror.

"The chair must be up there somewhere!" Fin exclaims, looking straight up into the cloudless blue sky.

He pushes a big green button and Coral has to duck for cover as the ancient chair accelerates down at freefall speed, stopping just a meter from the ground.

"This has potential," Fin says, ominously tying one end of a ratchet tie down to the chair. "Now just put your head in here Coral," he says, gesturing to the other end which is tied into a loop, "and I'll push the button."

"No thanks, I think I'll pass. How about you try it first?"

"Nah I've got a better idea."

"What is little Finny not brave enough to go on the amusement park ride?"

"Nah let's go kidnap one of those girls and tie her to the rope. It will be funny!"

"Yeah, OK. I bet Kestrel's still over by the rollercoaster."

The Career pair head back over to the rollercoaster. The television perspective briefly changes to that of Sora and Sky, who have to duck around the back of the Haunted House to avoid being seen, before switching to Jack. Jack has taken her opportunity to climb back down the tower. Its slow work, but the camera crew spends at least two minutes broadcasting her repetitive shuffle. Basically she is wrapping her fingers around the sharp rail on which the ride moves up and down. She is then bridging across with her legs onto the other rail. I've seen Jack around the District a few times. She's really good looking, standing at a meter and ninety centimeters tall. I hope she doesn't fall; it would be a lame end to her life.

After two minutes the broadcasters give up on the chance of seeing Jack fall from the tower and start following Fin and Coral around again. At the moment they are walking back through the Cornucopia. Fin can't help but pick up another lithium ion battery for his drill on the way through.

The view switches to that of Pixie who is shifting her hiding place up a small oak tree by the path. The Careers will walk past her in a moment. We are looking down from the tree as the Careers stop.

"Hold up," Fin says, putting his arm out in front of Coral's chest. "Did you hear something?"

"No."

Fin looks up and down the path.

"Come on lets go get Kestrel," Coral says.

"I feel like someone is watching us," Fin whispers.

"Huh. Yeah of course I bet the whole country is watching us."

Coral tugs on Fin's shirt as he scans the bush around them. Finally he allows himself to be pulled back onto the path and they continue down towards the rollercoaster.

In a square box in the corner of the screen there is a video playing of Jack receiving a package. It looks like her sponsors have got her a parachute for some reason.

Fin and Coral are now down at the rollercoaster, where Kestrel is sitting in the controller's seat. Fin and Coral try to sneak up behind her, but she saw them coming and set the rollercoaster off hurtling half way around the track before stopping it again. Coral runs over to the rollercoaster train but Kestrel responds merely by pressing the green 'go' button. The viewer is now inside the rollercoaster carriage hurtling around the track again. As it flies past Fin he chucks a spanner at Kestrel's face. It misses bouncing off the padded restraint and clutters against the study railings before reaching the ground. Fin now has his angle grinder out, trying to cut through the steel on the rollercoaster tracks. Sparks are flying everywhere, but the blade on the small handheld power tool just isn't strong enough to cut through the tempered steel. Next Fin tries welding a spanner onto the track. I don't think it's going to be enough to derail the carriage though. In a last effort, Fin pulls all of his tools out of his backpack. I think he's looking for the right size spanner to undo the nuts holding the track together. After a few minutes he gives up and puts everything back.

"Hey, Kestrel!" Fin bellows angrily. "We will be back tonight you hear me! You have to sleep sometime!"

You have to love Fin. These Games would be so boring without him! As the Career pair walk slowly back up the hill, we are shown a piece of video from two minutes ago. As Sora and Sky had followed Fin and Coral down the path, Pixie had called out to them. She had then climbed down from her tree, and Sora and Sky had carried her off. Evidently Pixie's ankle is seriously broken. She really can't move it, let alone walk properly. Sora and Sky had to carry her.

The scene then cuts to a dark room. A camera shows Sakura walking slowly along a deserted dark corridor. Water drips from the ceiling and there is a nasty creaking sound coming from up ahead. There is an incessant knocking. At the end of the corridor a door slowly opens by itself. Out of the doorway swoops a ghost, with a big round black head, large white eyes and two sharp upper teeth. Its head drags along a purple haze that surrounds its like a toxic mane. Sakura makes a run for it, back down the corridor slamming a door behind her. The ghost follows her floating effortlessly through the closed door as if it isn't there. Sakura runs down the stairs but suddenly she faints. It's almost as if she fell asleep mid stride. She is not moving and blood is streaming from her nose. The ghost drifts over to her body. She starts to scream incoherently as if someone is torturing her very dreams.

"Leave Hanako! Get out of here; it's for your own good!"

The commentator appears again.

"Pokémon were a mythical variety of creature adored by ancient civilizations. What better way to decorate a Haunted House than to invite in some ghost Pokémon? Ah, but don't worry fans of Sakura Velvet, these Pokémon aren't deadly, they instead cause their opponents so much pain that they faint. What you really have to look out for in the Haunted House are the ancient Egyptian mummies"

I don't know much about medicine but the amount of blood Sakura is losing out of her nose does not look encouraging. I wonder what that ghost is doing to her dreams?

**The Official list of Deaths:**

**Death #1: Linden Garder,**bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie,**stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland,**was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods,**strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm,**unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.

**Death #7: Celeste Hale,**whilst dangling precariously from the edge of the parachute platform, Celeste had her grip broken by Barda causing her to fall to her death.

**Death #8:** **Flint wood**, attacked by a pack of mutated boars and was mauled to death over the course of an hour.

**Death #9: Barda Moss**, died as the result of a failed B.A.S.E. jump attempt. He was rotating too fast when he deployed his parachute and it tangled around him failing to open.

**Death #10: Nero Caligula,** thrown by Fin Lay through a fire and down a hole burned into the platform. Nero died from burns and the impact sustained when he hit the sand below.

**Death #11: Flash Aurum,** lead to the edge of the platform and instructed to jump by the rebels. When Flash went to operate his parachute it became evident that someone had burned through most of the strings, he therefore died from blunt force trauma.

**Death #12: Thistle Kellik,** thrown down the hole burned into the center of the main platform by Coral Turner, she died of blunt force trauma when she hit the ground.

**Death #13: Thunnus Seidon,**knocked into a state of unconsciousness by Chesta during the Bloodbath. He never recovered and his body was dropped by Pixie, through a hole burned in the plywood platform. He fell to his death.

**Death #14: Brooklyn Virgona,** bashed repeatedly in the head with a crowbar by Fin Lay during the second bloodbath. She died of blunt force trauma.

**Death #15: Diamond Louis**, ate a poisoned lobster that had been sent to her by a sponsor of Coral Turner. She died as soon as the poison entered her blood stream.

**Death #16: Tasi Merkava**, ripped to pieces by mutated killer whales while successfully saving his pet seal Hope.

**Author's note: From now on I have decided to pick names out of a hat to determine the deaths. It adds an element of fate to the Games. **


	22. The Final Eight

**The Point of View of Tazmin Ranger**

Darkness has just fallen in the arena. Over here in District 7 it's been dark for several hours. Mum brings me in a plate of chopped up apples and a mug of hot chocolate. We are meant to stay up all night watching the Games but most people just sleep at night and they don't get punished. I try to stay up as late as possible, but no matter how entertaining the Games happen to be, I have to sleep at least a few hours each night.

Right now on television they are showing us Sakura's sleeping form lying on the floor in a dark corridor. There are now a dozen or so purple ghost Pokémon surrounding her. Occasionally she will wake up but when this happens one of the ghosts just magically put her back to sleep. I can't figure out how they physically do it, but it works somehow. She is screams in her sleep random incoherent statements as if they are torturing her. It's not the most entertaining viewing, but its dark and everyone appears to have settled down for the night.

Coral and Fin are resting together in the horn. They have dragged all of the tools and supplies in with them. Coral is lying on Fin's chest. I wonder if there is something going on there between the two from District 2. I always suspected there might be. I have always wondered though, what is the point of romance in the Hunger Games? They have to kill each other in the end anyway! It seems kind of pointless really, with no chance of a long life together.

Sora, Pixie and Sky are on the Ferris wheel. Sora and Pixie are sleeping together in one of the carriages at the top of the ride. Sky is sitting in another carriage closer to the ground. It is her turn to be on watch.

Jack is still awake walking around the bumper boat arena. She has found the disabled seal Hope and has taken to carrying it around with her, clutching it against her chest.

Finally something is about to happen. I can tell because Fin is up and about.

"Let's go find out what Kestrel is up to," Fin whispers.

"Do you think it's dark enough yet?"

"Yeah sure it is. Plus I'm bored."

The Career pair head off down to the rollercoaster. When they get there they find Kestrel absent from her usual control seat on the rollercoaster. Fin resists the urge to have a go on the rollercoaster in her absence. He knows enough about traps. Plus it would be too noisy. They head back up to the Cornucopia.

"Now what," Coral asks.

"Now we play hide and go seek."

It doesn't take Fin long to spot Sky sitting watch on the Ferris wheel.

"Hold still!" Fin whispers.

Sky hasn't seen them yet. Fin and Coral slowly duck down in the moonlight so that they are obscured from Sky's vision by the fence around the Ferris wheel. They then crawl around the back of the Haunted House so as to approach the Ferris wheel without being seen by Sky.

The point of view of the cameras briefly switches to that of Jack who is nearby. She stops still clutching on to Hope. The Careers are too busy to see her standing still in the darkness. Once they are out of sight Jack turns on her heel and heads in the opposite direction towards the Tower of Terror.

Fin places his backpack on the ground and removes a roll of duct tape. Slowly and carefully he crawls along the side of the Ferris wheel careful not to make any noise. With amazing skill for a large man he silently climbs up next to Sky and in a fluent motion wraps his hand over her mouth. Sky tries to scream but can't. She thrashes around trying to make enough noise to wake Sora and Pixie, but Fin grabs her and throws her out of the compartment and onto the ground. There he replaces his hand with a piece of duct tape and then wraps several layers of the tape around her head. Sora and Pixie don't wake up.

Sky is struggling like crazy as Fin carries her away. Coral follows behind carrying the backpacks. Fin takes Sky past the Cornucopia and down the hill to the rollercoaster. Sky manages to evade Fin's clutches on two occasions, but she is quickly chased down each time. As before there is nobody on the rollercoaster. The broadcasters switch for the first time in a while to the point of view of Kestrel.

Kestrel has set up camp in the bushes near the rollercoaster. I think she was probably scared of Fin and Coral returning at night so made sure she was out of sight. Right now she has a good view of Fin and Coral torturing Sky.

Once at the rollercoaster Fin holds Sky down on the platform which is a pretty difficult job considering that she is thrashing about as if her life depends on it. Coral grabs a piece of rope out of the backpack and securely ties one end of it to the back of the rollercoaster train. She then ties the other end around Sky's ankles. With her legs now immobilized Coral takes over holding Sky down while Fin rustles through his backpack pulling out a blowtorch and a pair of pliers.

"It's a simple game," he says to Sky, ominously holding the pliers out in front of him. "I will rip each of your fingernails off in turn with these pliers and then blow torch any blood so that you can't bleed to death. There is no one around to save you. No one knows you are here. Coral and I have nothing better to do so this could go on all night."

Sky is now thrashing around silently like crazy. Even with her legs tied together Coral is having great trouble keeping her still. Fin approaches her with the pliers and she kicks out at his face. He pushes her legs aside and grabs a hold of one of her hands, gripping onto the fingernail of her middle finger with the pliers.

"Oh and did I forget to mention?" Fin adds. You can quit at any time. Just press this big green button over here."

He gestures to the 'go' button that the controller can use to start the ride. The button is currently covered with a clear plastic cover to stop people accidentally pressing it. Fin grasps onto this plastic cover, shattering it in his bare hands.

"Just remember, the rope attaches you to the back of the rollercoaster."

Sky is livid thrashing around. She does not hesitate at all in pushing the big green button. The rollercoaster roars into life shooting off, dragging Sky by the legs behind it. Her body bounces around like a rag doll smashing into steel beams.

Fin is absolutely ecstatic. He presses the emergency stop button on the ride while the train is upside down on the loop to loop. Coral and Fin run over to inspect Sky's lifeless body which is now dangling in mid air, upside down from the train. I swear I don't think I have ever seen a more sadistic death in Hunger Games history. Fin is a monster!

After a few minutes Fin and Coral leave the roller coaster behind and head back up the hill. A Hovercraft comes and removes Sky's body. Kestrel follows the Career pair back up the hill at a distance.

The broadcasters now switch to a replay from three minutes ago. A sponsor of Sakura has sent her a parachute which is sitting on her chest. She awakens momentarily and rips open the package. Inside is a handheld battery powered fan. She looks at it in surprise. Why did someone send her that? One of the big purple ghosts drifts over to her body and she falls back to sleep.

Jack is now attached into her constraints on the Tower of Terror ride. She presses the green button and it takes her and Hope slowly up 304 meters. At the top she pulls herself free and lifts Hope up onto the plastic top of the tower. She then pulls herself up and sets up her sleeping bag. I guess that's somewhere Fin isn't going to look for you, but I wouldn't feel safe sleeping like that up so high. What if the wind blows or you roll over in your sleep? I guess considering what Fin just did to Sky it's worth the risk.

Coral and Fin are now back at the Ferris wheel where Sora and Pixie are asleep still. Once again Fin climbs up the Ferris wheel with a roll of duct tape in his hand. He has to climb a bit higher this time to reach Pixie as she sleeps in a carriage near the top of the ride. Fin goes straight for the duct tape this time wrapping it around her head three times before she even opens her eyes. He then drags her drowsy body out of the compartment and lugs it to the ground.

This time they drag Pixie over to the Tower of Terror. Coral pushes the red button and the chair comes flying down. Again Fin holds Pixie still while Coral ties a rope around the chair and then ties the other end around Pixie's legs. By now she is fully awake and struggling like crazy. As soon as she is tied up securely, Fin pushes the green button that starts her gradual accent into the darkness. After only a few seconds Pixie's upside down frame disappears into the blackness.

As interesting as this is, the broadcasters have found something even more intriguing to show us. Inside the Haunted House Sakura has woken up again and switched on the handheld fan her sponsors sent her. Immediately my impression of her sponsors changes from crazy to brilliant. The fans appear to be repelling the ghosts. It's almost as if the ghosts are made of purple gas. Even the slightest breeze will blow them away. Sakura jumps up onto her feet for the first time in hours. She runs down the corridor towards the ghosts brandishing the fan in front of her. It turns out to be as effective as a force field. The ghosts are blown out of her way and she continues to climb up the tower running up sets of stairs and along corridors until she is at the top. At the top there are a dozen or so human like creatures wrapped in bandages. They walk around like spastics with their arms out in front of them. Seeing that there is no way out Sakura turns on her heels and runs back the way she came. These strange ancient people that the commentators call mummies follow her down the stairs. There is no way out of the Haunted House it would seem.

As soon as Pixie was out of sight from the ground she stopped playing dead and started staying alive. She does a sit up reaching out to touch her toes and pulls herself up so she can grab onto the rope. From there she climbs up the three meters of rope using only her arms. Good old Pixie, up to her heroic climbing tricks again! Before the chair even reaches the top of the tower Pixie has pulled herself into it. Down the bottom, Fin and Coral are trying to decide if the chair has made it to the top yet. From ground level it is too dark to see anything.

"Hey Pixie"

Pixie looks up in surprise to see Jack standing on the top of the tower.

"Untie yourself and come up here."

Pixie straps herself into the chair and quickly has a go at untying the ropes around her legs. It takes thirty seconds but still the chair hasn't been released yet. Jack climbs down from the platform and stands on the chair also. It's a risky move. At any moment the chair could be released into a freefall. Jack holds onto the rail and then holds out her hand to Pixie who takes it and climbs across to join her. Together they both jump up and grab hold of the plastic top of the tower. Milliseconds later the chair plummets leaving them hanging by their finger tips onto dew covered plastic 304 meters in the air. For any other people this might be a problem, but not Jack and Pixie, they are climbing experts. In no time they are sitting up on the tower's three meter diameter circular top.

Down below Fin is completely confused. Where did Pixie go? She can't still be up there but the chair came down with no one in it! To add to his bewilderment ten seconds later he is bashed on the top of the head by a seal flying at seventy meters per second. There is blood and guts everywhere, but Fin is merely dazed. It wasn't quite a direct hit. Suddenly there is a burst of action. There is the sound of glass breaking and Sakura flies out of a second story window landing heavily on the ground. Simultaneously Sora and Kestrel both emerge from the shadows and into the moonlight. Apparently Fin hadn't been so quiet in collecting Pixie after all. It's almost as if at the first sign of Fin weakening everyone is drawn together to finish him off. Coral tries to pick Fin up and carry his dazed body away but he is too heavy. She quickly glances around the newest arrivals before sprinting off into the blackness.

Sakura doesn't have a clue what's going on, she is just pleased to be out of the Haunted House. Sora and Kestrel however take great pleasure in kicking Fin in the face and tying his legs to the chair. They then press the green button and he disappears out of sight as the chair travels smoothly upwards.

It must be pretty weird for Fin. He has no idea where he is or what is going on. He is travelling upside down through the darkness at a constant rate. He doesn't even try to escape or struggle at all. On the ground Kestrel pushes the red button and the chair accelerates downwards at ten meters per second per second. Fin's head hits the ground at a massive speed and he dies instantly. It's quite a fitting way for him to die considering all the terrible murders he committed in the Games, but I kind of wish he had at least made the final four. Oh well, that's how fate goes I guess.

**The Official list of Deaths:**

**Death #1: Linden Garder,**bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie,**stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland,**was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods,**strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm,**unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.

**Death #7: Celeste Hale,**whilst dangling precariously from the edge of the parachute platform, Celeste had her grip broken by Barda causing her to fall to her death.

**Death #8:** **Flint wood**, attacked by a pack of mutated boars and was mauled to death over the course of an hour.

**Death #9: Barda Moss**, died as the result of a failed B.A.S.E. jump attempt. He was rotating too fast when he deployed his parachute and it tangled around him failing to open.

**Death #10: Nero Caligula,** thrown by Fin Lay through a fire and down a hole burned into the platform. Nero died from burns and the impact sustained when he hit the sand below.

**Death #11: Flash Aurum,** lead to the edge of the platform and instructed to jump by the rebels. When Flash went to operate his parachute it became evident that someone had burned through most of the strings, he therefore died from blunt force trauma.

**Death #12: Thistle Kellik,** thrown down the hole burned into the center of the main platform by Coral Turner, she died of blunt force trauma when she hit the ground.

**Death #13: Thunnus Seidon,**knocked into a state of unconsciousness by Chesta during the Bloodbath. He never recovered and his body was dropped by Pixie, through a hole burned in the plywood platform. He fell to his death.

**Death #14: Brooklyn Virgona,** bashed repeatedly in the head with a crowbar by Fin Lay during the second bloodbath. She died of blunt force trauma.

**Death #15: Diamond Louis**, ate a poisoned lobster that had been sent to her by a sponsor of Coral Turner. She died as soon as the poison entered her blood stream.

**Death #16: Tasi Merkava**, ripped to pieces by mutated killer whales while successfully saving his pet seal Hope.

**Death #17: Skylar (Sky) Clouds**, at the threat of being tortured Sky activated a rollercoaster that she was attached to the back of. She was dragged behind the rollercoaster train and banged her head on a metal beam in the process. She died of blunt force trauma.

**Death #18: Fin Lay**, hit in the head by a seal dropped from 304 meters by an angry Pixie. He was then dazed and tied by a rope to the tower of terror and dropped at freefall speed onto his head. He died from the force of the impact.

**Author note: I didn't want to kill off those two characters just yet, but those are the two I randomly drew out. There are now six tributes remaining. Who is going to be the victor? Time will tell. **


	23. Freedom!

**The Point of View of Jack Aspen**

"What the hell was that for?"

"I think I just got him!" Pixie exclaims.

"Who, what, when, where, how?"

"Fin was just down there. He tried to kill me."

"Yeah, and you more than just tried to kill my only Hope."

"You mean that seal! Seals swim in the water, they can't fly. Why'd you bring him up here? His skin would have dried out and he would have died anyway."

I try to give Pixie my most subtle 'tell you later' wink without the Gamemakers noticing. I don't think she understood though, and I dare not say anything. Not just yet.

"What the… It's Fin!"

Fin is dangling upside down by his leg. His body is still, and then suddenly it accelerates downwards until ten seconds later there is a thud.

"Well that's the end of Fin," I state blandly.

"Yus, yus, yus! I wonder who killed him!"

"Probably backstabbed by Coral, it wouldn't surprise me considering the silly little games you guys play."

"Erm we don't have a choice. It's called the Hunger Games! You're in it too!"

I drag Pixie over to the sleeping bag. She tries to resist. She probably thinks I'm going to throw her off the side or something. I don't blame her. I probably should throw her off considering what she did to Hope. Once under the cover of the padded feathery material I get down to business.

"I'm going to escape," I whisper.

"When?"

"Tonight. I would have gone already if you hadn't killed Hope."

"What? How? Can I come?"

"No but you can help. I need a distraction. "

"Ok, ok, but how are you going to escape? Are you going to try to climb the fence? I've heard it's electric you know."

"Yeah, don't climb the fence Pixie. If you touch both the active wire and anything else you will be fried."

"Then how are you going to do it?"

"I'm not going to tell you Pixie and you can't do it."

"Tell me or I'll push you over the edge?"

"How is trying to push me over the edge going to help? I'm not going to tell you in case you become the victor. No one is to know."

"Well I'm not going to help you then! Why would I want to help you?"

"Fine I will tell you! I am planning on cutting my tracker out and attaching it to Hope then throwing him off the platform. Once everyone thinks I'm dead I'm going to quietly climb down in the dead of night, grab a big metal crowbar and walk over to the electric fence. From there I am going to electrically connect the live wire on the electric fence to the ground causing the fence to short circuit and blow a fuse. Before they can reset it I am going to climb the fence and escape."

"Hey I could so do that too!"

"How would you fake your own death though?"

"No need, I'd just cut my tracker off."

"But they would find your tracker and realize you're not dead and track both of us down. No you can't come!"

"How about this: I will make a distraction for you in which I fake my death in a fire while you escape over the fence?"

"Yeah fine just if you follow me, make sure the fence is actually turned off before you try to touch it. Just use a few blades of grass to test it."

"Yeah sure. Ok let's go get Hope then."

We climb over the edge of the platform. It is completely pitch black but I can feel the rails on which the chair moves up and down. I take the lead putting my fingers into the grooves which are now covered in condensation. This is going to hurt. I am glad this is the last time I will have to do this. I carefully shuffle down. Pixie follows me in the same fashion. I am certain we are the centre of attention right now. I am fully aware that if either Pixie or I slip on this slick surface right now then I am certainly dead.

The 304 meter decline takes what must be around an hour. It's a real testament to how good we are at climbing that we even made it at all. On the ground I find Hope's body. It is split open on both sides and covered in a pool of blood. I waste no time scooping up his body and strapping myself back into the chair. Pixie pushes the green button and I am lifted back up to the top of the tower. The people watching on television must be more than a little confused. Hopefully they merely think that I can't sleep without my poor Hope. At the top I unstrap myself and climb across to the tower. As I lift Hope back up onto the top I am well aware that with the flick of a button Pixie could kill me right now. She doesn't, which probably means she fell for my lie.

I strategically yet subtly position my sleeping bag and climb inside it along with the dead seal. There is blood everywhere, and soon there will be more. Away from all cameras I pull a pocket knife from my pocket and selected the biggest, sharpest blade. The tracker is lodged deep into my forearm. They injected them into each of us before the first day in the arena.

This is going to hurt. It's amazing how hard it is to inflict pain on yourself even when you know that it's for your own benefit. You body still naturally wants to protect itself. I cut away at the skin around the tracker slowly. There is plenty of time. I should at least wait an hour so as to be sure Pixie has set up a distraction and everyone's attention is somewhere else. What's the best way to cut out a tracker, quickly or slowly? I cut away at the skin on either side of the tracker and I can tell blood is beginning to flow. I wipe some of it onto Hope. This is an important gesture. It is really a lot harder than I expected. I can't even see my arm let alone perform surgery on it. The only other alternative however is to be killed in this stupid game.

After like half an hour I manage to cut the tracker out. My arm is bleeding profusely and I make sure to get it everywhere. I insert the tracker into Hope's mouth, and it falls down into his stomach. Whilst still completely hidden inside the sleeping bag, I strap the parachute backpack securely to my back and grab a hold of the pilot shoot. I then stand up and walk to the edge of the platform whilst still inside the sleeping bag.

Right now there are several things that could happen. These range from me plummeting to my death, to me escaping and living a happy and full life away from the Games. It may be pitch black all around, but I still have to act fast. My plan relies on the Gamemakers not being able to get a camera on me in time. Without hesitating I trust my previous and judgment and jump forward over the edge of the platform. I count to three then extract myself from the sleeping bag and pull the pilot shoot on my parachute. I'm not quite sure where my sleeping bag and its contents will land but I guess I will soon find out if I was successful. For now I drift through the air steering my parachute towards where I estimate the closest perimeter fence is. If I've done my calculations correctly I will make it.

All I can see around me is blackness. Suddenly out of the darkness a line of razor wire glides towards me illuminated by the moonlight. This is the moment of truth. Will I escape or be fried to a crisp? In the end I kick the line of razor wire as I sail clean over the top of it to safety. I land in a wasteland of dirt. Quickly I pack up my parachute and sprint away from the arena as fast as I can, paranoid that at any moment a hover craft will materialize in front of me.

**The Point of View of Tazmin Ranger**

OK so I had to get some sleep. I am only human after all, not a Hunger Games watching muttation. After Fin died there just wasn't much going on. Coral ran off and hid in the horn again. Pixie and Jack went to sleep at the top of the Tower of Terror and Sakura, Kestrel and Sora ended up falling to sleep in the middle of a Mirror Maze. So I must have drifted off to sleep myself.

The sun is just starting to rise in District 7 so I must have been asleep for like six hours. In that time the last remaining tribute from District 7 has died. I can't believe it. Jack was so strong but then she went and killed herself like that!

All morning they have been replaying the videos of it. First she went down and picked up the dead body of Tasi's seal Hope. She then took it back to the top of the tower and into her sleeping bag. After about an hour she suddenly jumped off the tower with the sleeping bag still around her. The coverage of her descent is lost for a while as she falls. Presumably even the Gamemakers can't have a camera everywhere. They have been doing a good job at catching the action so far these Games though. The next images we see are from the cameras installed in the bumper boat pool. The sleeping bag and its occupant crash into the pool causing a large splash. Presumably there was some human blood spilt and the mutated killer whales go mental tearing apart the sleeping bag and ripping Jack to shreds. All that's left is a bunch of unrecognizable bones in a pool of blood stained water. Apparently the tracker is in the mess somewhere as well. It's hard to believe that that pile of blood is all that remains of the cool girl I used to see around the District.

In the mean time Pixie has been running around setting fire to everything as usual. I remember her climbing all over those plywood platforms in the other arena and eventually catching them on fire. This time she has set fire to the Haunted House.

Inside the Mirror Maze, Kestrel, Sora and Sakura are all asleep. Presumably they are all on the same side for now. I wonder how long that will last. We are currently watching Kestrel as she sleeps. A parachute suddenly materializes out of thin air. It is weighed down by a long thin package that now floats down and comes to rest on Kestrel's chest. Immediately her eyes open wide. She quietly sits up and unwraps the gift so as to not wake the others. Inside is a scythe.

**The Point of View of Kestrel Snarky**

Great it's exactly like those we use to thresh wheat back home. Someone in District 11 must have thought I missed the hard labor involved in whacking crops. Don't worry; I have an even better use for this scythe now. I hold the scythe like I have done a million times and inspect the blade. Wow this is really well made. The blade is sharper than that of any tool found in District 11. I swing it through the air and smile, its lovely thanks but there are only two heads of wheat around here.

I walk silently over to Sora's sleeping body. She looks so peaceful and innocent. I whack her in the neck with the scythe as if hitting a patch of long grass. The blade cuts deep and her eyes open immediately. She tries to scream but only a gurgling sound comes out. I whack her in the head again and again but even this blade isn't sharp enough to cut through bone.

Oh crap there is blood all over me! Sakura has woken up. I have to clean the blood off my hands before I can do anything else. I wipe my hands all over Sora's clothing careful not to look her in the eye. There must be blood everywhere but as long as I don't look at it I won't have to clean it up. Sora's hand is twitching sporadically. I run away from the scene and after Sakura who has a one minute advantage in the maze. The mirrors are crazy. I crash into one almost decapitating myself with the scythe. Up ahead I can see Sakura stalled and confused. I slam the scythe into the back of her head and it explodes into a cluster of broken glass. It was only an image. Where is she going? Probably to the exit, but where is that? It's getting hot in here. I run around another corners and am faced with hundreds of images of myself stretching forever in all directions. The temperature is really starting to rise now, and it's not just from all the running around. There is smoke somewhere, I can see the image reflecting in one of the mirrors, but this place is too convoluted for me to figure out where I am or what to do. The exit should be somewhere around here! I slam my scythe through another mirror causing it to shatter and there it is the exit but it is surrounded by flames. I run over to it and try the handle, it is hot. It turns but the door just won't open. I'm going to be cooked alive!

**The Point of View of Tazmin Ranger**

Oh, Sora is dead and now probably Kestrel. As part of her fire starting rampage Pixie has set the Mirror Maze on fire. One of Pixie's sponsors sent her a glass bottle of water. All the commotion has woken Coral who is now taking to Pixie with an axe. Pixie has a broken ankle so can't run away, but she is agile enough to dodge as the axe head goes flying past her face. Coral runs to retrieve the axe but Pixie grabs hold of her. Just then Sakura comes flying out of the Mirror Maze. She retrieves the axe and returns to lock the door. First she shuts the door, but it doesn't lock from the outside so she slams the axe into the gap between the ground and the bottom of the door essentially making a door stop. After checking that the door is secure Sakura tries to run away but is pulled into the wrestling match by Coral. The final three are wrestling on the ground with no weapons.

This is exactly how the Gamemakers must have intended it. It's day five and the final three are engaged in hand to hand combat. Indeed they have taken to displaying the Bookkeeper's odds on victory. Despite being the only Career left, Coral is the favorite. For every coin you bet on her to win you only get one and a half back if she does. Pixie is an outside runner because of her busted ankle. For every coin you put on her to win you get back three if she does. Sakura is somewhere in between. I'm personally going for Pixie because she is the underdog here, but it's going to be interesting all the same. Usually the finale of the Games just comes down to a popularity contest. Up at the Capitol the sponsors and Gamemakers have such control over the Games and they love to see their favorite emerge as the victor.

**The Point of View of President Snow**

So we are down to the final three, how interesting. What is Sakura still doing in the Games! She is far too weak!

My personal phone rings and I pick it up. Only a select few have this number. It is Head Gamemaker Jeft Finwip calling.

"What?"

"We are down to the final three. We need to decide quickly who is going to win."

"This is true. OK stop the random selection method, we need to set up a more fair system. How about this? I'll collect votes from viewers on who should win and we will make sure that the tribute with the most votes in the end is the victor."

"Yeah, but what about the special interest groups?"

"OK fine. Let them all know that this is the last chance to use any sponsorship points and that any points on whichever tribute they want to win."

"Sounds fair. OK boss."

"Bye"

**The Official list of Deaths:**

**Death #1: Linden Garder,**bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie,**stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland,**was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods,**strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm,**unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.

**Death #7: Celeste Hale,**whilst dangling precariously from the edge of the parachute platform, Celeste had her grip broken by Barda causing her to fall to her death.

**Death #8:** **Flint wood**, attacked by a pack of mutated boars and was mauled to death over the course of an hour.

**Death #9: Barda Moss**, died as the result of a failed B.A.S.E. jump attempt. He was rotating too fast when he deployed his parachute and it tangled around him failing to open.

**Death #10: Nero Caligula,** thrown by Fin Lay through a fire and down a hole burned into the platform. Nero died from burns and the impact sustained when he hit the sand below.

**Death #11: Flash Aurum,** lead to the edge of the platform and instructed to jump by the rebels. When Flash went to operate his parachute it became evident that someone had burned through most of the strings, he therefore died from blunt force trauma.

**Death #12: Thistle Kellik,** thrown down the hole burned into the center of the main platform by Coral Turner, she died of blunt force trauma when she hit the ground.

**Death #13: Thunnus Seidon,**knocked into a state of unconsciousness by Chesta during the Bloodbath. He never recovered and his body was dropped by Pixie, through a hole burned in the plywood platform. He fell to his death.

**Death #14: Brooklyn Virgona,** bashed repeatedly in the head with a crowbar by Fin Lay during the second bloodbath. She died of blunt force trauma.

**Death #15: Diamond Louis**, ate a poisoned lobster that had been sent to her by a sponsor of Coral Turner. She died as soon as the poison entered her blood stream.

**Death #16: Tasi Merkava**, ripped to pieces by mutated killer whales while successfully saving his pet seal Hope.

**Death #17: Skylar (Sky) Clouds**, at the threat of being tortured Sky activated a rollercoaster that she was attached to the back of. She was dragged behind the rollercoaster train and banged her head on a metal beam in the process. She died of blunt force trauma.

**Death #18: Fin Lay**, hit in the head by a seal dropped from 304 meters by an angry Pixie. He was then dazed and tied by a rope to the tower of terror and dropped at freefall speed onto his head. He died from the force of the impact.

**Death #19: Jack Aspen**, committed suicide by jumping off of the Tower of Terror during the dead of night into a bumper boat pool filled with mutated killer whales. Her body was ripped into pieces so small that they were unidentifiable.

**Death #20: Sora Painton**, hacked to death in her sleep by a scythe wielding Kestrel. She died of suffocation.

**Death #21: Kestrel Snarky**, locked inside a Mirror Maze by Sakura. The Maze was set on fire by Pixie, and Kestrel died of asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation.


	24. Finale

**The Point of View of Tazmin Ranger**

The three miniature girls wrestle on the ground. How did they all make it to the final three? Usually it is the big boys dominating by this point of the Games. At the moment Coral is pulling Pixie's blond hair which is now a wreck of its usual perfect state. Pixie in turn has Sakura in a headlock and Sakura is gouging out Coral's eyes. It's all nice and entertaining but I can't realistically see anyone dying any time soon. I go downstairs to the pantry and get some bread. There is half a loaf left but I can't be bothered cutting it. Instead I just grab a handful of the dough from the middle and quickly get back to my bedroom.

When I get back I find that Pixie has somehow extracted herself from the tangle and has gotten a hold of the glass water bottle her sponsors sent her. Sakura and Coral are still fighting on the ground oblivious to Pixie limping up behind them with the full bottle held over her head. She brings the bottle down with a crack onto Coral's head causing it to explode sending glass and water everywhere. Coral shrieks, immediately letting go of Sakura, she holds her head in her hands. Sakura takes this opportunity to sprint off. Coral freezes in pain as Pixie holds up the now broken bottle. The glass has cracked leaving Pixie holding onto a jagged glass weapon. Coral's eyes open wide before she sprints off. You can tell Pixie wants to chase after her and she would have if her ankle wasn't stuffed. Instead we watch as she limps over to the Cornucopia and picks through the items obviously searching for something. She finds it, a heavy metal crowbar which she uses as a walking stick to hobble away from the Cornucopia. It's tedious watching Pixie try to walk around so the camera angle now switches to a shot of Coral.

Coral's head is still bleeding. She has run off down to the rollercoaster and is sitting in the controller's seat holding her head in her hands. Presumably she has a severe headache from where Pixie hit her with the bottle of water. The cameras focus on her pain for a while before following Sakura around over her shoulder.

Sakura is still wandering around. At the moment she is walking behind the Haunted House which is still well ablaze and billowing thick black smoke. Fire has burned a large gash into the side of the building.

**The Point of View of Sakura Velvet**

Where has Pixie got to? I walk around between the Haunted House and the Tower of Terror. This is where Fin died. Suddenly something bright orange falls from the sky. I jump backwards. Someone is on fire; they have fallen from an upper floor of the Haunted House. I rush forward to help them. Are they still alive? They aren't moving. And then I recognize the beige bandages. It's one of those ancient mummies.

Suddenly three ghosts swoop down out of the burned hole in the side of the building. Not those Pokémon again. I run for it as fast as I can, but they keep up with me effortlessly as if they are weightless. Weightless: that's it. I swing around to face the ghosts. There are three of them. They are all mostly purple with comical cartoon-like expressions. I start to get the familiar sensation of my consciousness fading to blackness. I am so sleepy. I fight the sensation to pull from my pocket the handheld fan and switch it on aiming it at the ghosts. Immediately all three of them are blown far away and I can feel myself returning to full consciousness. I switch off the fan and sprint away in the opposite direction in search of Coral.

**The Point of View of Pixie Bradley**

I duck behind the back of the bumper boat pool and crawl out of sight in the shadows. Hopefully the cameras have momentarily lost me. I pull from my pocket my tracker. It is covered in blood from when I removed it earlier. I toss it into the pool and immediately hear the killer whales going crazy causing turbulence and waves. Blood stained water is spilling from over the edge of the pool. Quickly I crawl away, dragging the crowbar with me. With luck the cameras will have lost my trace.

When I am a fair distance away from the pool I make an awkward run-hop for the perimeter fence. It is a wire monstrosity with razor sharp spikes on top. I look around for a piece of green grass. Which wire is the live wire? I guess it is the one that is buzzing ominously with power. If I touch that one I'm certainly dead. Jack hasn't disabled the fence then.

Quickly I chuck the crowbar hooking it over the live wire. It hangs down leaning itself against the wire fence effectively connecting the live wire and the ground, short circuiting the system. This cannot last for long and indeed a few moments later the fence stops buzzing completely. As soon as this happens I chuck the crowbar aside and start climbing over the fence. It is a relatively easy mesh structure formed by regularly intertwined wires but at the top there are several layers of razor wire. This is no problem for someone like me. I put all my weight on one hand that is attached to a support pole and vault myself over the razor wire, barely even cutting my clothes. I then down climb the outside of the fence and jump down onto the dirt outside the walls of the amusement park.

My heart is beating rapidly. I am free! I turn and hop away on my one good foot, and that's when the hover craft materializes.

A magical force field freezes me in position before I am sucked up. On board hands grab me pulling me inside and roughly tying my hands behind my back. They then throw me into a small dark cubicle and lock the door.

**The Point of View of Jeft Finwip**

"We have her, boss. She was sneaking around outside the arena."

"How did she get there?" I ask.

"Not sure."

"Well find out then! Scan through all the video recordings from the perimeter fence for the last day."

"Will do, Sir, and what about the girl. Can we kill her?"

"Yes, kill her. We need to show the tributes what will happen if they try to escape."

"Yes, Sir, and what should we show the audience? They must be wondering where Pixie is."

"Clip the video from the bumper boat pool from just after she chucked her tracker in. Make it appear that she committed suicide like Jack did."

"Yes, Sir, I'll…"

"Hold up I've got another call coming through," I say, picking up the call from the President himself.

"Jeft speaking."

"Where the hell did Pixie go?"

"We have her. She managed to escape the arena somehow. Don't worry we are looking in to the situation."

"Where is she now?"

"On one of the hover crafts. Don't worry; she will be killed soon for her attempts."

"No! We never show such mercy. Put her back in the arena. She is very popular amongst the sponsors."

"Right, hold on."

I switch back to the other call.

"Hey you there?"

"Yes boss."

"Drop Pixie back into the arena somewhere and pretend nothing happened."

"Sure thing boss, we just have just found something that you might be interested in though."

I switch over to video call and am shown a video. The technician pauses the video. The evidence is unmistakable. He then flicks through three further frames showing Jack floating magically over the top of the razor wire fence and out of the arena.

"Play those frames again I say adding President Snow to the conference call."

"What the f**k! What the f**k!"

"It looks like Jack has somehow managed to trick us and escape."

"Nobody tricks me!" Snow roars. "Send all but two of the hover crafts after her. She may have a six hour lead on us but she can't have got far. Mark my words, we will track her down!"

"Yes boss," I say. "And what about Pixie?"

"Bring Pixie to me," Snow grunts ominously.

**The Point of View of Jack Aspen**

It's been forever since I escaped the arena. Adrenalin has been surging through my veins ever since, but now I have finally reached an end to the wasteland and I am starting to feel hungry. This is pretty ironic considering I've just escaped the Hunger Games.

Ahead of me is a forest of red maple trees just like those found in District 7. Once under the shade of the trees I remove the backpack containing my parachute and abandon it in a hole. For all I know it might have some sort of tracker attached to it, and I no longer have use for a florescent orange parachute anyway. Once under the cover of the trees I divert my course to the left so that any would be trackers will lose my trail and head into whatever comes my way. Up ahead there is a clearing through which a train track runs.

**The Point of View of President Snow**

"Where is Jack Aspen?"

"I don't know!"

"Turn the screws."

Pixie screams as her body is stretched even further. Now she is almost as tall as a normal person.

"Must I remind you Pixie, that everyone believes you are dead? We will stretch you until you rip into two pieces if need be. So once again, where is Jack Aspen? We saw you talking to her on top of the Tower of Terror."

"Ahh. She escaped over the fence like I did. She was the one who gave me the idea."

"I don't believe you. We have images of her somehow flying over the fence, and the circuit breaker wasn't tripped during her disappearance. Turn the screws!"

"Ahhh!"

"Where is Jack Aspen now?"

"I don't know!" Pixie pleads.

I believe her. Jack has obviously sold her a lie. Pixie is a real sponsor's favorite. We can't actually damage her. If we don't get her back into the Games soon people will start to get suspicious.

"Right, drop her back into the arena out of camera shot and get a brief shot of her for the audience."

**The Point of View of Pixie Bradley**

The hover craft drops me back down into the arena. My back is killing me and all of my limbs feel loose, bad loose. I am in a bush close to the Cornucopia and out of sight. Once the hover craft has disappeared I lay down in pain from where the Gamemakers had stretched me out. Maybe if I sleep when I wake up I'll feel better? I'm really quite tired from running around all night.

Out of nowhere there is a loud booming voice magnified so as to be heard throughout the arena.

"Attention tributes. Tomorrow morning is the Feast. You all have sponsors that have picked out a weapon that is especially suited to you. These items will be available from the Cornucopia at sunrise tomorrow morning. Have a great day!"

OK whatever that confirms it, I'm going to sleep. If Coral or Sakura find me before tomorrow morning so be it.

**The Point of View of Tazmin Ranger**

The rest of the day is pretty boring. Pixie sleeps all day in a bush. Sakura gives up looking for Coral and takes rest in the horn. Coral is still holding her head sitting on the roller coaster. None of the tributes are showing any interest in killing each other. They are probably all waiting to get their sponsor's weapons at tomorrow's feast. I guess we can't blame them for being tired considering they were up all night. The television crew have taken to showing us highlights from the night before, which include Jack's suicide, Pixie's arsons and the deaths of Kestrel and Sora.

I am up early the next morning for the feast. Hopefully bringing the final three together and giving them weapons will spur some action. Sakura is the first to grab her mysterious package from the table. She darts out of the horn quickly and then returns with it. Coral is hanging around cautiously in the shadows as is Pixie. Suddenly Pixie runs out into the open towards the table that now has two packages on it. Simultaneously Coral does the same. There is a moment of confusion in which the two rivals try to get to their packages. Coral grabs both packages and turns to escape when suddenly a throwing knife spins from out of horn, its blade planting itself deep into her neck. Pixie pulls the knife from Coral's neck releasing a large blood flow from the deep wound and stabs her twice more. Coral slumps to the ground as Pixie is hit in the back by a second knife. She turns ignoring the pain and throws her knife back at Sakura who avoids it by running deeper into the horn.

From inside the two packages Pixie obtains a short sword that she tucks into her tightly fitting clothes, and a bow with ten silver steel arrows. She draws an arrow out and loads it into the bow whilst limping into the horn towards Sakura. There is blood pouring from the knife sticking out of her back and her steps are slow and out of time. Even so Sakura cannot escape as she has nowhere to run.

Sakura throws a third knife at Pixie's head. Pixie merely puts her hand up in front of her face and the knife drives itself into it. Part of the blade is sticking out the other side, but Pixie doesn't show any emotion at all as if she is by now immune to pain. She just continues to walk forward slowly blocking the only exit from the horn. She draws back the first arrow and carefully takes aim at Sakura's torso. When released the arrow flies with immense ferocity past Sakura's ducking head. The steel tip rebounds off of the metal horn and the bent shaft jingles across the concrete floor. While Pixie reloads Sakura takes her opportunity to fling a fourth knife. This one again strikes Pixie, this time in the stomach. She slumps forward dropping down to a crouching position on her knees with three knives sticking out of her body each bleeding profusely. It doesn't look good for her as Sakura approaches with a fresh throwing knife ready to finish the job. There is cannon fire in the distance.

Sakura pulls the bow from Pixie's limp arms and chucks it aside. She then lunges forward swiping a throwing knife across Pixie's neck. At the same moment Pixie draws her short swords and stabs it deep into Sakura's chest. Both tributes drop to the ground unresponsive. Pixie is losing blood from four separate wounds and Sakura has fallen face forward pushing the short sword even further into her chest cavity and out the other side.

What happens if they both die? Then we won't have a victor! I watch intently both of the small girls as they lay on the ground. A cannon fires and a hover craft appears out of nowhere. Which tribute will it pick up first? Whose injuries were more fatal?

The hover craft beams up Sakura leaving only Pixie in the arena. With Coral already gone I guess that makes Pixie the winner. Indeed the commentator's face appears in the bottom corner on the screen:

"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the winner of the Sixty-ninth Hunger Games, Miss Persephone Bradley."

The view now switches from Pixie's mutilated motionless body to that of thousands of cheering figures in a packed out convention centre somewhere in the Capitol. It is such a stark contrast. Pixie it seems was truly a crowd favorite.

Emergency response personal drop down into the arena to revive Pixie. She has lost a lot of blood especially from the last cut across her throat. They connect various sensors to her and inject a line into her blood stream which is soon filled with blood. The team put her onto a stretcher which is then beamed up slowly into a hover craft which disappears from sight.

We are next shown images from all around the Capital. People are out dancing in the streets and wearing colorful clothes and waving banners. Over in District 3 there is an eruption of applause and shows of relief. This is truly a classic Hunger Games, one that will be recalled by everyone who has seen it for years to come. The arenas, weapons and the deaths were just amazing.

**The Point of View of President Snow**

Should I have Pixie killed? It would just be so easy to do right now in her fragile state. It would merely take an order to the surgeons to hold off and no one would suspect a thing.

Jack still hasn't been found and we just can't have two survivors of the 69th Games. I am tempted to kill Pixie out of spite, but then we would have no victor to parade around, to give hope. No Pixie will have to survive. I call up Jeft Finwip.

"Hello."

"Jeft, if the public ever find out about Jack's escape you will be publically executed in the most painful method our doctors and engineers can possibly devise."

I hear Jeft swallow loudly.

"Understood, Boss."

"So if I were you I would make tracking her down my life's mission."

"I will Sir."

"And let it be known amongst the Gamemakers that if two tributes manage to escape any Hunger Games in future, heads will roll."

"Yes Sir."

I hang up reminding myself that as long as the public doesn't know then there is no harm done. We can't have another rebellion.

**The Point of View of Tazmin Ranger**

That was just amazing. I run outside for the first time in six days. Under the house I have a set of throwing knives that my dad picked up for me years ago. I have never been interested in using them until now having seen what Sakura could do. I walk down the road and when no one is looking I slip through a hole in the fence around District 7 and into the forest.

Beneath the cover of the trees I am free to throw the knives around as if I am in the Games. Some sort of animal runs past so I chuck a knife at it. The knife spins nicely through the air but completely misses the animal and gets lost somewhere in the stream. I have another go. This time I manage to stick the knife into a red maple tree.

Suddenly a tall dark skinned girl emerges from behind the tree with a blood stained knife drawn. She runs over to me putting her hand over my mouth and touching the blade of the knife to my neck.

"Don't say anything!" she whispers pleadingly. "You don't know I'm here."

What the….It's true I don't know who is here. And then I realize! But it can't be. She died two days ago and the Games were in a completely different time zone!

The End

**The Official list of Deaths:**

**Death #1: Linden Garder,**bashed in the temple by a track and field hammer wielded by Fin Lay. He died instantly of brain damage.

**Death #2: Foy Antrie,**stabbed in the neck by a javelin wielded by Fin Lay, he died of blood loss.

**Death #3: Jett Wayland,**was kicked off the steel support structure during a fight with Flint and Tasi. He died of a brain injury sustained when he hit his head on the way down.

**Death #4: Victoria Mernet,** committed suicide by stepping off the platform and died on impact due to a brain injury.

**Death #5: Chesta Edwoods,**strangled to death primarily by Fin Lay with help from Coral and Diamond. He died from brain damage due to a lack of oxygen.

**Death #6: Julian Storm,**unceremoniously tossed from the platform by Fin Lay, Coral, Diamond and Flash. He died instantly from the resulting impact with the ground.

**Death #7: Celeste Hale,**whilst dangling precariously from the edge of the parachute platform, Celeste had her grip broken by Barda causing her to fall to her death.

**Death #8:** **Flint wood**, attacked by a pack of mutated boars and was mauled to death over the course of an hour.

**Death #9: Barda Moss**, died as the result of a failed B.A.S.E. jump attempt. He was rotating too fast when he deployed his parachute and it tangled around him failing to open.

**Death #10: Nero Caligula,** thrown by Fin Lay through a fire and down a hole burned into the platform. Nero died from burns and the impact sustained when he hit the sand below.

**Death #11: Flash Aurum,** lead to the edge of the platform and instructed to jump by the rebels. When Flash went to operate his parachute it became evident that someone had burned through most of the strings, he therefore died from blunt force trauma.

**Death #12: Thistle Kellik,** thrown down the hole burned into the center of the main platform by Coral Turner, she died of blunt force trauma when she hit the ground.

**Death #13: Thunnus Seidon,**knocked into a state of unconsciousness by Chesta during the Bloodbath. He never recovered and his body was dropped by Pixie, through a hole burned in the plywood platform. He fell to his death.

**Death #14: Brooklyn Virgona,** bashed repeatedly in the head with a crowbar by Fin Lay during the second bloodbath. She died of blunt force trauma.

**Death #15: Diamond Louis**, ate a poisoned lobster that had been sent to her by a sponsor of Coral Turner. She died as soon as the poison entered her blood stream.

**Death #16: Tasi Merkava**, ripped to pieces by mutated killer whales while successfully saving his pet seal Hope.

**Death #17: Skylar (Sky) Clouds**, at the threat of being tortured Sky activated a rollercoaster that she was attached to the back of. She was dragged behind the rollercoaster train and banged her head on a metal beam in the process. She died of blunt force trauma.

**Death #18: Fin Lay**, hit in the head by a seal dropped from 304 meters by an angry Pixie. He was then dazed and tied by a rope to the tower of terror and dropped at freefall speed onto his head. He died from the force of the impact.

**Death #19: Jack Aspen**, committed suicide by jumping off of the Tower of Terror during the dead of night into bumper boat pool filled with mutated killer whales. Her body was ripped too pieces so small that they were unidentifiable.

**Death #20: Sora Painton**, hacked to death in her sleep by a scythe wielding Kestrel. She died of suffocation.

**Death #21: Kestrel Snarky**, locked inside a Mirror Maze by Sakura. The Maze was set on fire by Pixie, and Kestrel died of asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation.

**Death #22: Coral Turner**, hit in the neck by a knife thrown by Sakura, Coral was then stabbed twice by Pixie and died subsequently of internal injuries and blood loss.

**Death #23: Sakura Velvet**, stabbed in the chest with a short sword wielded by Pixie, she died of internal bleeding.

**69****th**** Hunger Games Victor: Persephone (Pixie) Bradley, **survived after treatment to her injuries by the best medics in the Capitol. These injuries included a broken ankle, four knife wounds and a dislocated shoulder.

**Author's note: So there you have it, that is the end of the 69****th**** Hunger Games and hence the end of the story. Thank you to everyone who read it even after it got taken down. So who actually even read this? It's hard for an author to tell and we really like to know. Can anyone who has read through the story please submit a review of the story including any praise or criticism as this would be greatly appreciated. Note this was my first story. Thank you!**


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